我的两个女儿在东部的一所小学（简称东小）就读。我们就住在马林道， 不用五分钟的车程就能到学校。在她们的爸爸过世后， 我们就搬到淡滨尼， 靠近我姐的家， 好有个照应。
因路途遥远， 孩子们每天得在六点左右起床梳洗， 准备上学。那年老大念小二， 老二才念小一。 老二的依赖性强， 爱耍脾气， 不太能適应新的作息， 常常闹别扭， 搞到我们常在升旗礼前的一秒钟才到学校, 要不就 迟到。既使到了学校的侧门， 老二会使出浑身解数， 哭哭啼啼， 吵吵闹闹。有个学校的马来女助理开始注意到我们。
每天早上， 她会在学校侧门前的斑马线旁指挥交通， 确保来往的车辆都停止行驶了才让小朋友们过马路. 在七 点二十分时,她就 会将 铁门给锁上, 风雨不改的守护着莘莘学子.
在一次的交谈中, 她知道孩子们丧父, 也了解到我每天都赶着开车送她们上学不容易. 在接下来的日子里, 如果我们迟到了, 她会等到我两个宝贝都走进了校园, 才将侧门锁上. 我们的交谈也只限于微笑, 点头， “早安你好；谢谢；再见和周 末愉快”却从来没问彼此的名字。 这样的日子持续了三年。
今年四月, 我决定为孩子们转校，转去我们家附近的邻里小学就读。 在五月中旬，我告诉她孩子们将转校了，在六月的假期结束后就会到新的学校报道。 她点点头， 微笑。
在五月学期结束前的最后一天， 我们送她一盒饼干和一张卡片， 卡片上写着：
“Dear Madam,
Though we don’t know your name, we like to thank you for being our angel.
Warmest regards
Sxxxx, Jxxxx & Axxxx
２９／５／０９”
六月的新学期开始了，孩子们都到新的学校上课去了，而我也乐得不用神经紧绷的开快车把她们送到东小，太好了！
在开课后的第二个星期四早上，我刚巧在早上７：３０开车经过离东小侧门的不远处。 我望了一眼, 却吓了一跳。远远的，我看见她的背影，别告诉我她忘了孩子们已转校了吗？难道我忘了告诉她或是她给望了？该不是我看错吧？
恰巧在隔天（星期五）我需要到那所小学取回孩子们的一些课本， 便在早上８点左右在办公室外碰见了她。 她兴奋极了， 像见到老朋友似的握着我的手问道：“怎么了？ 我等了两个星期了， 都没看到妳和孩子们，还以为出了事了！ 想到办公室去问， 可又不知道妳孩子读那一班， 姓什么。 担心死了！还好今天见到妳。”
“噢！对不起，我还以为妳知道孩子们已转校了。非常对不起，让妳久等了。”
“转校了？！没事就好。 还想和妳做朋友呢，怎知道。。。谢谢妳送的饼干。”
我摇摇头，笑了笑，谢谢她的等候。也没交换名字和联络号码。我们给彼此一个拥抱和祝福就挥手道别。
我好感动，真的很感动，很窝心。温情满人间。我们萍水相逢，妳却如此的爱护着我们。 谢谢妳！谢谢妳的守候！保重！
PS - sent this out to Zaobao on 2 August. This is my very first attempt to get my article publish on the papers. I guess it's in the bin :'(
Friday, August 14, 2009
Monday, October 13, 2008
U & Me
The girls made these dough figurings in the morning of 14 Sep. They said it's their papa and me. Oh my! Now I know how big my mouth is.
How have you been S? We were just talking about you the other day. The girls remembered you used a belt to beat them a couple of weeks before you left. They asked about reincarnation, life after death, and again, how to look for you or me when they're up there. J ended the conversation by saying, "I feel like crying now."
It's been 2 yrs and slightly more than 3 months. We miss you.
The other day, just 2 Mondays ago, I thought I almost meeting you for a cuppa. I was woken up by this sudden pain in my chest which lasted for 20 - 30mins. Thought I'm not going to make it and said, "Please, I don't have time to chit chat with you now or go jalan jalan. Let me bring up the girls first. They need me. I will see you after both of them are married and found someone to take care of them." Well,I think you heard me. My pain just went off after that and all the checks and scans showed that my heart is still going strong. Wish me luck.
Our ToTo dream
Monday, 13 Oct 08:
Today, the ToTo draw is est to be S$ 3m. Since last Saturday, I have been telling the girls, I will be buying ToTo. If I strike, I can buy 2 condos and rent them out and resign, to be a full time housewife, ferry them to school, fetch them home, engage tutors for them and they don't have to go to HOS anymore. They're happy. They have been asking me to be a housewife for months...especially for the past few months cos I have been so tied up with work.
So last night, Mum and I told the girls they have to wake up happily this morning, don't be grumpy/ cranky or scold each other and the God of Prosperity (Cai Sheng) will visit us. Who knows, their mummy might be lucky and they will have a full time mummy soon :)
When I dropped the girls at school, they're both smiling happily, very cheerful and J even reminded me to buy ToTo. They even hugged each other's shoulder while walking to the parade square. To me, this's one of my happiest moments - my girls are happy and love each other dearly. Really make my day and what a beautiful morning (of course, the fact that all my 3 bosses are not in town make me merrier ;P)
This evening, when I was at HOS, J secretly pulled me to a corner and with a cheeky smile, asked if I have bought Toto. Yes, of course and she's like jumping with joy and almost 100% sure that their being happy and their prayers will bring me luck. J kept pestering me to check the ToTo result from 7.30pm onward and we only turned on the teletext at about 8.45pm and saw of all the 7 numbers on the screen, non of them were the luck 7s selected by J on her B'day. Mum and I just shrugged it off but I saw J rubbing her eyes. Then they got red and wet...when I asked what happened, J cried and said," Wah ~~~~ I want you to be housewife. I don't want you to work. I want you to buy condo and rent it out. I don't want to go HOS. ....Wah ~~~"
Mum and I couldn't help and we laughed out loud. Poor girl, this was the first time I saw her dream shattered so badly. Yes, she's been pestering me to pierce her ears; buy her DS or PSP or PPS..(those handheld games) but my persistent no doesn't dampen her spirit. This time, she seemed torn.
Girl, life is not a bed of roses. I don't like to see you being sad and I know it's also not right for me to paint that ToTo dream to you. We don't always get what we wish for in life. Sometimes, we get double dose of what we didn't ask for. We just have to live in the NoW and cherish what we have, even though it might not be something we enjoy having, there's a reason for it.
I will always remember this morning's happy moments.
Today, the ToTo draw is est to be S$ 3m. Since last Saturday, I have been telling the girls, I will be buying ToTo. If I strike, I can buy 2 condos and rent them out and resign, to be a full time housewife, ferry them to school, fetch them home, engage tutors for them and they don't have to go to HOS anymore. They're happy. They have been asking me to be a housewife for months...especially for the past few months cos I have been so tied up with work.
So last night, Mum and I told the girls they have to wake up happily this morning, don't be grumpy/ cranky or scold each other and the God of Prosperity (Cai Sheng) will visit us. Who knows, their mummy might be lucky and they will have a full time mummy soon :)
When I dropped the girls at school, they're both smiling happily, very cheerful and J even reminded me to buy ToTo. They even hugged each other's shoulder while walking to the parade square. To me, this's one of my happiest moments - my girls are happy and love each other dearly. Really make my day and what a beautiful morning (of course, the fact that all my 3 bosses are not in town make me merrier ;P)
This evening, when I was at HOS, J secretly pulled me to a corner and with a cheeky smile, asked if I have bought Toto. Yes, of course and she's like jumping with joy and almost 100% sure that their being happy and their prayers will bring me luck. J kept pestering me to check the ToTo result from 7.30pm onward and we only turned on the teletext at about 8.45pm and saw of all the 7 numbers on the screen, non of them were the luck 7s selected by J on her B'day. Mum and I just shrugged it off but I saw J rubbing her eyes. Then they got red and wet...when I asked what happened, J cried and said," Wah ~~~~ I want you to be housewife. I don't want you to work. I want you to buy condo and rent it out. I don't want to go HOS. ....Wah ~~~"
Mum and I couldn't help and we laughed out loud. Poor girl, this was the first time I saw her dream shattered so badly. Yes, she's been pestering me to pierce her ears; buy her DS or PSP or PPS..(those handheld games) but my persistent no doesn't dampen her spirit. This time, she seemed torn.
Girl, life is not a bed of roses. I don't like to see you being sad and I know it's also not right for me to paint that ToTo dream to you. We don't always get what we wish for in life. Sometimes, we get double dose of what we didn't ask for. We just have to live in the NoW and cherish what we have, even though it might not be something we enjoy having, there's a reason for it.
I will always remember this morning's happy moments.
Saturday, August 9, 2008
A date with the surgeon
Saturday, 9 Aug 08
I think this is the first time in my life that I didn't sit in front of the TV and watch the NDP 2008. Not in the mood and feeling tired.
The lumps on S's neck have mostly subsided except one. That particular big lump continues to grow when S stopped taking her antibiotics. So Wednesday, 6 Aug, her doc suggested S to go under the knife to remove that lump just for the peace of mind and send those tissues for test. Hopefully it's nothing serious.
While waiting for the appointment date and time at the counter, I checked with the KK staff if the doc is an experienced one or a trainee doc. Luckily she said the doc is a Professor and a Senior Surgeon and an Ang Mo. The Professor and the Senior Surgeon part gave me a peace of mind but the girls went Woo... Ahh....Ang Mo and they started giggling about Ang Mos etc and boy...it's embarrassing. They got so excited to meet this Ang Mo Doc before knowing whether it's a She or He or Shim....What's wrong with the kids nowadays? They grow so fast and started to get interested in a lot of things much earlier than our time.
So his coming Tuesday, 12 Aug at 2pm, S and I ... and J will be meeting her surgeon. I supposed S will be going for the day surgery at the earliest possible date. She's worried. I told her that she will be given a mask to breath and after a few seconds, she will be dozzing off and maybe drooling. She won't feel anything and by the time she's awake, she will be back home and ready for dinner. She didn't worry too much I guess but I do.
Ever since M passed on, whenever the girls leave my sight or stay at Lao Da's place, I start to worry and my imagination will go wild....then I will start to cry. His death was too sudden to all of us. I guess this affected me very much and I don't feel secure when I don't see the girls. I'm afraid they will be like him, didn't get to say good-bye and the next thing I knew, he's lying in the hospital covered with white sheet and a tube sticking out of his mouth.
Will S be alright? I supposed it's a very simple op and won't have any complications. But it's on her neck. Will the doc accidentally cut her other veins etc? I'm panicking and yet have to pretend as if nothing worrying cos I don't want S to be worried and scared.
With that bloody office reno going on and forever changing and nothing seems to be going on smoothly; on the home front, S is making me worried sick and with our Lao Dou's ignorance and greed, all these are making me tensed;plus my in-law's direct and indirect questions. I seriously think of quitting my job and be a full time mum.
I hate being torn by work and family. The girls want me to be by their side and fetch them home every day. They're so happy when I went to school and pick them up for S's hospital appointments. J's face really brightened up. S's face glowed and my heart warmed just to see them feeling so happy.
Who were the 8 lucky souls who have won the S$ 8 million ToTo draw yesterday? I haven't check my Toto slips yet but sure hope I am one of them and I can be so close to my girls till they get sick of me :P
S & J - mummy love you and may both of you be blessed with great health and happiness. It's important to get good academic results but I rather you be happy than super smart.
Pray for S that her day surgery will be ok and she'll be fine.
I think this is the first time in my life that I didn't sit in front of the TV and watch the NDP 2008. Not in the mood and feeling tired.
The lumps on S's neck have mostly subsided except one. That particular big lump continues to grow when S stopped taking her antibiotics. So Wednesday, 6 Aug, her doc suggested S to go under the knife to remove that lump just for the peace of mind and send those tissues for test. Hopefully it's nothing serious.
While waiting for the appointment date and time at the counter, I checked with the KK staff if the doc is an experienced one or a trainee doc. Luckily she said the doc is a Professor and a Senior Surgeon and an Ang Mo. The Professor and the Senior Surgeon part gave me a peace of mind but the girls went Woo... Ahh....Ang Mo and they started giggling about Ang Mos etc and boy...it's embarrassing. They got so excited to meet this Ang Mo Doc before knowing whether it's a She or He or Shim....What's wrong with the kids nowadays? They grow so fast and started to get interested in a lot of things much earlier than our time.
So his coming Tuesday, 12 Aug at 2pm, S and I ... and J will be meeting her surgeon. I supposed S will be going for the day surgery at the earliest possible date. She's worried. I told her that she will be given a mask to breath and after a few seconds, she will be dozzing off and maybe drooling. She won't feel anything and by the time she's awake, she will be back home and ready for dinner. She didn't worry too much I guess but I do.
Ever since M passed on, whenever the girls leave my sight or stay at Lao Da's place, I start to worry and my imagination will go wild....then I will start to cry. His death was too sudden to all of us. I guess this affected me very much and I don't feel secure when I don't see the girls. I'm afraid they will be like him, didn't get to say good-bye and the next thing I knew, he's lying in the hospital covered with white sheet and a tube sticking out of his mouth.
Will S be alright? I supposed it's a very simple op and won't have any complications. But it's on her neck. Will the doc accidentally cut her other veins etc? I'm panicking and yet have to pretend as if nothing worrying cos I don't want S to be worried and scared.
With that bloody office reno going on and forever changing and nothing seems to be going on smoothly; on the home front, S is making me worried sick and with our Lao Dou's ignorance and greed, all these are making me tensed;plus my in-law's direct and indirect questions. I seriously think of quitting my job and be a full time mum.
I hate being torn by work and family. The girls want me to be by their side and fetch them home every day. They're so happy when I went to school and pick them up for S's hospital appointments. J's face really brightened up. S's face glowed and my heart warmed just to see them feeling so happy.
Who were the 8 lucky souls who have won the S$ 8 million ToTo draw yesterday? I haven't check my Toto slips yet but sure hope I am one of them and I can be so close to my girls till they get sick of me :P
S & J - mummy love you and may both of you be blessed with great health and happiness. It's important to get good academic results but I rather you be happy than super smart.
Pray for S that her day surgery will be ok and she'll be fine.
Monday, March 31, 2008
2008 Chinese New Year
7 February 2008: -
The girls in their CNY cheongsam. Plus, a very first visit by my in-laws to our humble abode on 8th Feb. See if you can spot someone who does't belong to the clan and yet, enjoyed being part of the limelight ;P Isn't he cute?
"Gong Gao Le Pak, Chart Chew Boon Pak Gart"
Saturday, 22 March 08: -
Another routine Saturday - morning sent S to Sino Wushu while I went roller blading; back for lunch and sent the 2 girls to Katong Mall for their piano lessons. While driving them home, I detoured to Blk 79 to pick Mum.
On our way back, as usual, J started being very 'Wen Ti Xao Nu' - girl with many questions. Listed as follows: -
1. Mummy, what is your Great Great Great Great Grandfather's name?
-- Girl, my knowledge of my ancestor stopped at Canon Lim's father - Lim Teng Foo. Those koink out before him, I don't know their names
(Mum started laughing at the back seat)
2. Why you don't know their names?
-- Because I didn't see them before and I was too young to remember anything when my grandfather was around.
3. Why you can't remember?
-- When you're very young, your memory was not that developed.
4. Why?
-- Can don't ask me why? I don't have all the answers. You go and read some books and find out.
5. Ok, do you think there is a doctor in an ambulance?
-- Maybe not a doctor, maybe a senior nurse.
6. Why no doctor?
-- I'm not sure, just maybe. Maybe doctors are waiting for those injured at the A&E.
7. What do nurses learn when they go to school?
- They learn how to measure temperature, medical terms, how to bandage the injured and more.
8. How much more?
-- many more.
9. Like what?
-- I don't know.
10. Why you don't know?
-- Cos I didn't go to nursing school.
11. Why you didn't go to nursing school?
-- Cos at that time, nursing doesn't interest me.
(mum was crying at the back......laughed till peng san while S was sleeping)
12. Why it didn't interest you?
-- cos I was more interested in sports
13. Why...
-- Can you stop asking why?
14. I just want to understand
-- Gong Gao Le Pak, Chart Chew Boon Pak Gart (in Hokkien -- meaning, explain to you till you understand, my goatee will entangle). Tian ah ~~~~ Wen Ti Xao Nu!
Another routine Saturday - morning sent S to Sino Wushu while I went roller blading; back for lunch and sent the 2 girls to Katong Mall for their piano lessons. While driving them home, I detoured to Blk 79 to pick Mum.
On our way back, as usual, J started being very 'Wen Ti Xao Nu' - girl with many questions. Listed as follows: -
1. Mummy, what is your Great Great Great Great Grandfather's name?
-- Girl, my knowledge of my ancestor stopped at Canon Lim's father - Lim Teng Foo. Those koink out before him, I don't know their names
(Mum started laughing at the back seat)
2. Why you don't know their names?
-- Because I didn't see them before and I was too young to remember anything when my grandfather was around.
3. Why you can't remember?
-- When you're very young, your memory was not that developed.
4. Why?
-- Can don't ask me why? I don't have all the answers. You go and read some books and find out.
5. Ok, do you think there is a doctor in an ambulance?
-- Maybe not a doctor, maybe a senior nurse.
6. Why no doctor?
-- I'm not sure, just maybe. Maybe doctors are waiting for those injured at the A&E.
7. What do nurses learn when they go to school?
- They learn how to measure temperature, medical terms, how to bandage the injured and more.
8. How much more?
-- many more.
9. Like what?
-- I don't know.
10. Why you don't know?
-- Cos I didn't go to nursing school.
11. Why you didn't go to nursing school?
-- Cos at that time, nursing doesn't interest me.
(mum was crying at the back......laughed till peng san while S was sleeping)
12. Why it didn't interest you?
-- cos I was more interested in sports
13. Why...
-- Can you stop asking why?
14. I just want to understand
-- Gong Gao Le Pak, Chart Chew Boon Pak Gart (in Hokkien -- meaning, explain to you till you understand, my goatee will entangle). Tian ah ~~~~ Wen Ti Xao Nu!
Terrace House, Semi-D, Bungalow, Condo
Saturday, 29 March 08: -
For the past 5 days, J has been asking me the following questions the moment we started to head for their school: -
Mummy, what is a terrace house?
- it's a single storey house or sometimes a double storey house with both sides joined to another house
What is a semi-detached house?
- means only 1 side is joined to another house, either left or right side.
What is a bungalow?
- it's a house by itself, with neither both left or right joined to another house.
What is a condo?
- it's something like a flat but a very expensive flat, with swimming pools, tennis court etc. You know what a condo is what!
Ok, I know. A Terrace house is one with both sides joined to another house.A Semi-detached is one with one side joined to another. A bungalow is one by itself.
- Yes. That's right.
Can you ask me?
- ask you what?
Ask me what is a terrace house, a semi-d, and a bungalow.
- you knew it. You just repeated them to me what?!!?
Ask lah?
- don't want.
ASk lah?
- don't want lah. You so lor-sor.
Ok, then I tell you.
(she went on repeating all the 3 types of housing. But that's not the end. She continued to have the above conversation with me from Tue - Fri, morning and evening.........) Goodness me. Goodness J.
For the past 5 days, J has been asking me the following questions the moment we started to head for their school: -
Mummy, what is a terrace house?
- it's a single storey house or sometimes a double storey house with both sides joined to another house
What is a semi-detached house?
- means only 1 side is joined to another house, either left or right side.
What is a bungalow?
- it's a house by itself, with neither both left or right joined to another house.
What is a condo?
- it's something like a flat but a very expensive flat, with swimming pools, tennis court etc. You know what a condo is what!
Ok, I know. A Terrace house is one with both sides joined to another house.A Semi-detached is one with one side joined to another. A bungalow is one by itself.
- Yes. That's right.
Can you ask me?
- ask you what?
Ask me what is a terrace house, a semi-d, and a bungalow.
- you knew it. You just repeated them to me what?!!?
Ask lah?
- don't want.
ASk lah?
- don't want lah. You so lor-sor.
Ok, then I tell you.
(she went on repeating all the 3 types of housing. But that's not the end. She continued to have the above conversation with me from Tue - Fri, morning and evening.........) Goodness me. Goodness J.
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