Adventures on The Great Ocean Road Part 1: The Boomerangs

I have dreamt of going to The Great Ocean Road for many years so when the duke (nephew) arrived, and a trip down under was inevitable, we slotted the GOR into the itinerary.  I envisioned a three-day trip, free and easy, based in a self-contained cottage along the Road.  

We found The Boomerangs online, booked three nights with them and we were good to go.  I found that accommodation in Australia (and eating out there) generally costs an arm and a leg.  And for a family of four on a budget, we did have to choose our stays carefully.  When it came to the GOR, we decided that The Boomerangs will be our "luxury" for the trip, costing A$330 per night for a Savers Package in June.

It was a very pleasant stay.  We arrived before sundown, found a small turning into the estate and was greeted with quiet and serene surroundings.  Mark and Roz, the hosts, gave me a warm welcome at check-in (and some garlic since we couldn't find any at the nearest supermarket), and directed us to our cottage.  I went up the platform, found the keys hanging on the door handle, and stepped into the boomerang-shaped house.  It was spacious, cozy and extremely clean.  We Chinese like to remove our shoes upon entering a house, and all the better, as the hosts have requested for guests to do so, as small stones (aplenty in the area) scratch the floors badly.  The floors were squeaky clean and a pleasure to walk on.  The two bedrooms were very small, but were nicely furnished and had everything we needed. A hot fire was crackling in the fireplace, prepared hours ahead of our arrival, so I wasn't joking about the warm welcome.

View of the dining and living wing of the Boomerang

The kids' bedroom, with heaters on each side of the bed for each sleeper

We had almost exhausted our cash supply from eating out the first four days so it was a good thing the cottage came with cooking facilities, and basic cooking needs like salt, pepper, dried herbs, soya sauce, aluminium foil, cling wrap, etc. Also a selection of tea and coffee. Electrical appliances like the oven, toaster and microwave. I was just _slightly_ disappointed that there wasn't a dishwasher.  It would have completed the picture.  The washing machine was a welcomed sight and we put in our first load almost immediately upon arrival.

Now, a word about doing your own cooking on the GOR: it requires precise planning.  The nearest supermarket from where we were at Johanna, was about 45 minutes away at Apollo Bay. The next nearest supermarket at Port Campbell was at least one third smaller and also about 45 minutes away.  Unlike in our Singaporean neighbourhood, where I can just pop into a store across the street for a piece of ginger, I had to plan for all nine meals and make sure there is neither anything lacking, nor any leftovers since we were due for a flight on day 4.

I wish I could have shopped at a farmer's market but the supermarket at Apollo Bay was the best there was.  But there was a seafood restaurant next to that supermarket that sold fresh seafood, and A$20 for a bag of barramundi, salmon, scallops and prawns ain't too bad a deal! And a bottle of white wine at A$6? An impossibility in Singapore.

I cooked all our breakfasts and dinners, the kids and hubs assembled our lunches of sandwiches in aluminium foil.  

Bacon, eggs, mushrooms, toast and your choice of drink every morning
without the pinch on the wallet *hee*

Little helper packing a simple lunch

Preparation for dinner starts after dark. 

Cheers! Our dinner of butter rice, steamed asparagus and pan grilled seafood.
Kids had apple juice, adults white wine.

Day 1, we had chicken drumsticks and spinich stewed in chicken stock and white wine, served with rice.  Day 2, the seafood dinner above. Day 3, we went Chinese with rice, omelette, and a dish of broccoli, chicken and scallops.  All our food-shopping cost under A$150.

One of our favourite things to do, is to (attempt to) get a fire going, and then sit and watch how the mesmerising flames devour large chunks of wood, while warming the entire cottage through the night. It also helps that our clothes dry a lot faster when placed in front of the fire.

The kids had fun. The son declared that this was his favourite accommodation in Melbourne, though he will say the same of each place that we stay at. The daughter was beyond happiness when told we were allowed to help ourselves to the flowers in the garden.  They squealed and laughed while trying out the bath, were happily enjoying the tv, the spacious living area and the food that came out of the kitchen.  But I suppose the best part of The Boomerangs for these two kiddos, is Hanna.

Hanna is the designated customer relations officer at The Boomerangs.  She has four legs, a nice coat of fur, is gentle, loves playing with kids, and is extremely, superbly accurate and GOOD at playing catch.  She can go on all morning, running enthusiastically up and down.  She brings the ball back to the kids to throw.  One can hardly ask for a better play mate.  Little wonder that the kids ask to play with Hanna the moment they wake, and would rather stay at the estate with her than follow us out to tour the GOR.

Starting the morning on a lovely note

So I think the kids had the hardest time leaving. But we had a lovely time, so goodbye, and we hope to come back again in the future.

The kids and mummy outside our cottage

Letting Go

I read somewhere that the goal of a parent should be to establish independence in a child; don't do for a child what he can do for himself.

As the (usual) sole caregiver of two young children, my life for the past four to five years has been revolving around doing things for them. Preparing their meals, changing them, bringing them to the toilet, the bathing, the cleaning up, the sleeping preparation, etc etc etc.

Gabe has always been a good help, but his fine motor skills required more polishing, and me being a typical Chinese Singaporean mother held him back a little with independence. But he managed to feed himself from age one plus, was toilet trained at exactly two, put on his own shoes at three. Being a second time mother gave me more room to close one eye and Rou took on these roles even earlier. She fed herself by one plus as well (when and if she wanted to eat), was toilet trained before turning two, put on her own shoes at two.

Recently there was a sudden spike in the learning curve in the two kids. Gabe's was mainly due to the training received at school while Rou's was a mixture of her personality and just plain the-time-is-right. One afternoon, I was hanging up the kids' towels after showering them, and the reality of my children's development hit me. Gabe dried himself, both kids put on their own clothes (inner and outer wear), with Gabe picking out his own clothes. They took out a fresh pair of socks from their individual wardrobes, wore them (Gabe aided his sister), put on their shoes and we trotted out of the house. Me? I hung up the towels, changed, closed the windows, slipped into my choice of footwear, locked the door and we were out.

It hit me that I was more relaxed and there was more me-time. But I can't help but step back, look at them, look at myself, and the span of these five years, and smile. How things have changed. Letting go and giving the kids room to grow. My role as a mother is changing. Their dependence is giving way to more freedom, but there will come a day, soon, where I will have to cope with a different kind of "letting go". It's a constant learning journey for both child and parent. And this journey never ends, it only changes...

Twit the Wit

The kids seem quite different these last few weeks. It's as if they have grown up a lot more, with the year drawing to a close, and are straddling between their actual age and the age they will turn in a few months' time. With that especially, comes interesting conversation. Some startle me, as we traverse new ground; some tickle me, with the child-like innocence with which it was spoken; some simply make me burst out laughing.

Every once in a while, kids being kids, will amuse parents with these moments which make them feel that parenting is so worthwhile. Never mind that they had to endure grueling days and nights of routine and nonsense where they doubt the identity of these angels of theirs. So when the last few weeks have been dotted with such surprises, imagine the difference it made for me.

Putting these thanksgivings here as good reminders for years later, and a little bit of sunshine for the occasional cloudier days.

***********************************

Rou: I am now a girl.

Me: Mei, you've always been a girl, and will always be a girl.

Gabe: That's right mei mei. You will never be a boy. I am a boy and will always be a boy.

(Couldn't help but think of the surgical possibilities available in this day and age while replying the daughter.)

***********************************

Lady at restaurant was making arrangements for derod's birthday cake, and asked if we would like the traditional "Happy Birthday" song to be played over the sound system. Stifling fits of laughter, my parents and I gave the go-ahead.

Gabe: What, mummy? What's happening?

Me: *whispering in his ear* The restaurant is going to play the happy birthday song when they bring the cake out for papa. We have to sing together loudly for papa ok?

Gabe: *responses in whisper* OK. Why are you speaking quietly in my ear?

Me: *whispers* Because it's a surprise and we don't want papa to hear us.

Gabe: *whispers* ohhh... ok.

Derod: *looking at our sheepish exchange* What are you two talking about?

Gabe: *speaking loudly, waving his hands and shaking his head* Nothing!! Nothing!! We didn't say anything. We didn't say anything.

***********************************

At the dinner table one evening, while munching on his food,

Gabe: Papa, I'm going out tomorrow.

Derod and I glanced at each other. We had been told by our 4 year old son of his plans for the next day. Turns out he was only telling his father the plans I had told him about, but that informative voice, coupled with the tone of finality was just too funny. Well, at least we know what to expect 12 years from now.

More than just a train ride

One never really knows the impact of those thoughtless words and attitudes until it shows up in the most unexpected ways. From the time Gabe was able to reason, he has been told by my parents that he should never stray from our company, let go of our hands or be out of our line of vision when we are out, or "bad men" will come and take him away from us. And in all honesty, derod and I have reinforced this, only using different means.

Recently, the kids have been watching a series of documentaries and one scene left a lasting impression. A herd of reindeers was jostling their way from some plains to higher ground and in the midst of all the chaos, a calf got separated from his mother. She stayed behind for days, searching for it to no avail, as it became food for some eagles. Not contented with what the narrator had to offer, Gabe asked for a detailed explanation and I had to say that it was tough for the calf to stay close to the mother amidst all the pushing and shoving and gave an example of our family on a crowded night along Orchard Road, emphasized the importance of holding hands in a crowd and concluded the conversation.

Today, I took the kids by MRT down to Orchard Road. During rush hour. After we alighted, Gabe wanted to stay and watch the train go off. Both kids were an arm's length from me on the platform and the doors were closing. Gabe hurried toward his sister and wrapped his arms around her gently. After a while, she tried to move and in his attempt to hang on to her, he turned aggressive. I intervened and asked him to articulate the motive and reason for his actions. He had wanted to make sure meimei doesn't run into the train, and wanted to keep her safe by hanging on to her.

I was touched by his consideration for her. It doesn't happen very often. He could have applied this concept to himself, by hanging on to the adults and ensuring that he was safe. But he looked out for his sister, and this for me, was a great assurance that despite all the fighting, he cares for her well-being.

But the other thought that struck me was how we instill fear in the children through threats like these. No doubt that the presence of danger is real, we have often resorted to acquiring compliance through fear. Perhaps I too should articulate my motives and seek methods less "aggressive" toward the final goal of the children's well-being.

Cheoklet Migrates

Come visit us at psalmhundred.net/blog

Green Fingers

I've been toying with the idea of setting up my own little herb "garden" for years. Finally got my big butt up and moving. Did minimal homework: surfed for information, spoke to various ones, made a trip to a nursery to see what's available, and finally got down to purchasing.

Doing a mixture of planting herbs from seed, and buying some grown ones. So, if anyone needs some mint or basil, and if my thyme and parsley grow out well, I'll be happy to let you have some.

I never knew starting a new hobby could cost this much! And the different soils and stuff I have to buy, made me realise there's really more than just watering the plants. Derod paid for everything happily! And while I was the one exclaiming how crazy a planter box or a bracket costs, he was the one saying that there will surely be a start up cost to any hobby. And he said that growing and tending to the plants could teach me something about God too. I didn't think of it that way before, so I'll wait and see what lessons await me.

All set to start up

You guessed it! It's taken from the kids' set of beach toys. Whatever works.

Tadah! Now to see if I have green fingers.

Alcoholic Me

I love the soups and tonics that come with confinement. Auntie brews a fresh, large portion of 药材汤 for lunch and dinner everyday. For supper, I get another bowl of tonics, varying between duzhong for strengthening the back, black chicken with cordyceps and tonic XO.

I probably consumed two bottles of XO after giving birth to Gabe but this round, the portion was doubled. Auntie would double boil about a cup (normal drinking mug) of the liquor with meat/ bones for two to three hours, during which she would refrain from entering the kitchen due to its strong aroma. She said that since I am "a good drinker", it would be good to take the XO more frequently for it can strengthen my body. I think I averaged a bowl every two or three nights.

Me and my trophies - four bottles of XO in one month.

The Avent milk bottle looks pretty tiny next to the big brothers.

I Thank God for You

I was clearing up our cluttered study room and found a couple of handwritten notes to Derod. They are obviously rather dated, since no one really writes very much anymore.

This one from alwayseeking had so much humor in the thanksgiving.
"Thank you for your heart of joy to serve that makes my service so delightful. Thank you for your kindness and willingness to patiently help with my queries. Thank you for your arms so strong to help carry and move the instruments. Thank you for your mega-watt smile that makes the world so much sweeter. You are such a blessing!"

We were supposed to write a note of appreciation to each other as husband and wife and I found my note to derod.
"You are special because:
You have amazing discipline to do what you have to do/ think is important.
You have that unique heehee laughter.
Nobody loves me like you do.
You make friends so easily and bless them because you are you.
You have crazy ideas you never carry out, like keep long hair and cook fried rice.
You are a walking movie dictionary.
You are quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry.
You love your job and are great at what you do.
For these reasons and more, I appreciate you."

Derod has been nothing but supportive all these years, especially after the kids came along. Honestly, I wouldn't know what I'd be like without him. Yeah, and that includes irritatingly funny, nonsensical part of him too. Yes, you are such a blessing and for these reasons and more, I appreciate you.

Be Thankful For That Which You Have Been Given

It's so easy to forget that one of the greatest blessings is to be bestowed a healthy baby.

While channel surfing one day, I caught the trailer for Channel 5's programme, Lifeline. It documents stories of some patients at our local government hospital and this particular episode focused on an infant who was not born in the pink of health.

I did not catch the actual episode; I don't think I'd be able to sit through it. This fragile newborn had all sorts of tubes and lines poked into its little body. The mere sight of this tore my heart apart. I was jolted into reminder, not to take God's graciousness and blessings for granted. Perhaps this scene affected me much more because of where I am at present: a mother of a young infant. But it is important, nevertheless, to be reminded of how much we have been given, and how often we overlook the smallest but most important of things, and take for granted each painless breath we take and the ease with which we carry out our daily tasks. May we never need to experience the loss of such privileges in order to be appreciative of them.

Congratulations

Just like everyone else, I've congratulated and received my fair share of congratulations. But I've never really experienced the full meaning of the word until I gave birth to my daughter.

After the 9-month journey in pregnancy and the hard work put in to bring her out into this world, I lay exhausted on the bed in the delivery suite. Nurses started streaming in to care for Rou, taking her measurements and cleaning her up. And each person that stepped in would first look at me with a gentle smile and say "congratulations!" before carrying out the work that they came in to do.

It was then that I was able to fully appreciate the joy of an occasion and how others convey that they too share in that same joy. It was indeed a moment to celebrate and believe it or not, I shared that moment with many strangers that afternoon.

The Bintan Escapade

Derod and I made a failed attempt at a twosome holiday to Ko Samui in June 2008. In fact, all the details, arrangements and payments were secured. The only thing lacking was our presence on the plane. We discovered the presence of #2 a week prior to departure and I was hoping to recover from the sicknesses plaguing me and still make it for the trip. Alas, it was not meant to be, but we were fortunate enough to get a small refund from the tour agency. We gave it another attempt at 31/32 weeks of pregnancy and in view of the last minute planning, budget and distance, settled for Bintan, a mere 45 minutes away by ferry. We weren't too keen for me to fly and taking a long car ride didn't seem to be a comfortable idea for someone in the last trimester of pregnancy. In fact, a friend joked that we might end up with an Indonesian baby should anything unscheduled happened. But it worked out and we left Gabe with my parents and enjoyed ourselves for three days and two nights. We woke up when we wanted to, watched HBO, ate at our own pace, ate whatever we wanted whenever we wanted, and simply caught up with conversations and each other's company. We missed Gabe and we talked about him often but it was a good breather and probably a much-needed time of refreshing before we get further tied down by the arrival of #2.

We attempted to take a picture with the camera an arm's length away from our faces when two Caucasians came by, tsked at us, commented that it wouldn't do and volunteered to be our cameramen.
Alas, the shot was blurred... :(

Derod taking a walk on the boardwalk out to the waters.

We trespassed accidentally into the boundaries of Banyan Tree.
You could feel the promised "tranquility" almost immediately.

After breakfast on Day 2. Roaming the grounds of our resort and enjoying the good sun and strong winds.

With the weather too good to resist, I gave in to the beach walk in my bikini top. Pleasantly surprised to know that I still look not-pregnant from the back, and pretty acceptable from the front. Got myself a red and itchy tummy though.

Derod admiring the view of the bay, with our resort behind him.

It's amazing what the combination of sun, wind and rhythmic waves can do for you.

Banyan Tree and Angsana (our resort) share the same premises and hence we have the privilege of free buggy rides to BT's restaurants. Other than enjoying the food and great service, we took to roaming around the restaurants and sneaked some experiences at BT, one of which is the breathtaking views the place offers.

At the pool fronting the restaurant where we went for lunch.

Relaxing with a cool drink after lunch at the outdoor tables overlooking the waves crashing onto the rocky shore. We left for the Angsana Spa after this and I would say it was the best spa experience I've ever had. Tata Bintan and I'll be looking forward to my next twosome holiday, which won't be for a long time to come.

Pregnant at 36 Weeks

#2 is two weeks away from full term, which means that the mother is at the last of the last stages of pregnancy.

Mobility is greatly becoming an issue, though I have to give thanks for the (relative) ease I've been experiencing. Water retention has yet to set in, which means I've yet to be hindered by bloats on the body. I remember my legs, hands and face swelling at about the 36th/ 37th week for Gabe, so the process should be settling in anytime from now. I've been waddling increasingly and sitting down and getting up from the floor is really something I'm trying to avoid now, though I'm not succeeding very much at it with Gabe's daily and continuous requests to sit down to play with him.

I'm still cooking lunch daily and the occasional dinner. After tonight's dinner, I told derod that I'm rather proud of myself that I'm still able to do so at this late stage of pregnancy, though it's really pushing the limit. So, I've declared that this will be my "last dinner". I've not much of a choice when it comes to lunch since Gabe and I are both stranded at home in the heat of the day, away from convenient hawker alternatives, and there's the preference of feeding him home-cooked food... I feel a little like the women of ages past, fanning the charcoal grill preparing a meal for the family even with a buldging tummy. Talk about imagination.

Sleep has been more comfortable of late, with fewer toilet breaks. I've also woken up less often in the night as compared to Gabe's time, and to the earlier stages of this second pregnancy.

As of two weeks ago, the baby seems to have moved lower (also known as the lightening effect), which perhaps accounts for new comforts and discomforts. The breathing difficulties and pains in the chest have gone but in place of them, difficulties in sitting on most seats, weird and uncomfortable sensations as baby moves, how the pants hang in awkard positions on my hip (if you can still call it a hip), etc.

I'm trying to get as much of the house cleaned up and prepared for the big day. Oh, and derod and I watched DVDs till the wee hours of the morning in the week leading up to Gabe's birth. Wonder if we still have the energy and privilege to do that for #2.

Old Wives' Tales

Old wives' tales are aplenty when it comes to the subject of pregnancy. Many of them are related to superstition and abound out of fear of the unknown, but there are quite a few that are totally harmless and perhaps arose more out of observation of the majority of the pregnant population than anything else. With regards to the former category, it was obvious to me superstition should be ignored due to its sheer nonsensical nature, or the religious backgrounds that it represents.

I would say I came into pregnancy with quite a bit of freedom from such baggage. But I suppose it really makes quite a bit of difference when one is out of a situation and commenting on it, versus one who is within a situation itself. I came face to face with well-meaning elders, and even some peers, telling me to take certain old wives' tales with a pinch of salt i.e. pay some degree of heed to them. I was mid-way through a piece of cross-stitch when I discovered the presence of Gabe. At that point, I stopped and consciously evaluated the situation: there is a saying that if you sew (especially on your bed) during pregnancy, your child would come out with a scar/ cleft lip/ etc bearing signs of your sewing activity. It didn't help that these came with horrifying testimonies. I stopped, took time to bring this insecurity before the Lord, and literally laid all my thoughts and motivations bare. After weighing it all out, I consciously decided that if God were to give me a gift, it would be a good gift, according to the specifications that He has decided and that the fear of the Lord, versus the fear of the unknown, should be my source of motivation for every decision and action. Out of that conviction, I continued with sewing and other activities that came along the way, some that do not give much comfort to family members. And the Lord gave us a flawless Gabe (at least appearance wise) two years ago.

There are other old wives' tales, however, that I'm more happy to indulge in, just for fun. And some of them do hold true for me! They belong mostly to the observation category, usually differentiating between carrying a boy or a girl . I'm listing some here for personal comparison, since my numbers one and two are of different genders.

Shape of the Tummy
They say that if you're carrying a boy, the tummy will be sharp and for a girl, round. It's TRUE!

Pretty Index of the Mummy
The mummy carrying a boy is supposed to be uglified whereas the one carrying a girl will be prettier. Erm... I think pregnancy basically disfigures me with major outbreaks on my face. But, being pregnant with Gabe definitely gave me angry rashes all over my body, which is not happening this second round.

The Nose
Boys are supposed to give mummies a huge nose, especially near the end of the pregnancy. I'm proud to declare I wasn't afflicted with this!

Look at the 1st Kid
Ok. This is the queerest of them all. Some people say that if your first child has gentle features and behaviour, your next one will be a girl. Conversely, if your first one is brash and aggressive, basically displaying boyish features and behaviour, the next one will be a boy. Some also say that the shape of the nipples of the first child tell the gender of the next one. I don't know about Gabe's nipples but there were people who "accurately" predicted the gender of #2 based on Gabe's delicate features. How weird is that?!

The Pooi Pooi Mother
I only got wind of this one recently and since I'm much tubbier this round, I'm tempted to just agree with the old wives. Apparently, those who carry boys are slimmer and those who carry girls tend to be more plump. When I was carrying Gabe, with the exception of the tummy, the other parts of me hardly changed. In fact, people I met at a conference at work didn't even notice I was pregnant until the third day, which I did find a little ridiculous. All in all, I'd say that generally speaking, these observations that go circulating around do have some degree of "truth" in them and heh, do a checklist of the number of them that hold true for you when your turn comes, just for the fun of it.

Me at 6.5 Months

I'm 6.5 months into my second pregnancy and I realised I've not talked about it at all, other than rambling out the agony of the first trimester. Perhaps this is really the amount of attention and hype non-number-ones get. Or perhaps it's just that I've experienced most of the changes before and it's no longer as big a deal.

In any case, I plan to document the differences between the two pregnancies, which actually make up quite a list. But that will come later, when I manage to put the procrastination bug aside.

Meanwhile, I'm quite upset to find that I'm really much bigger this time round! The baby/ stomach is definitely larger than gabe's time. I'm also not as fit as Round One (as I was on my feet much more then at work) and hence the larger blobs of dangling flesh and the bigger butt! My pants don't fit me the same way as when I was carrying gabe! And I'm only 6.5 months into the journey. Although I feel more tired now taking care of and running after the little tyke, the "exercise" I'm getting just isn't the good kind of exercise that contributes to keeping the body fit.

Interestingly however, the scales don't show any difference between Rounds One and Two. Goes to show where the weight is distributed - looks like the pounds are piling on me instead of on the baby this time...

Where the Action Was

We were privileged to be given two tickets to the practice session of the first F1 night race so we went squeezing with tens of thousands that night in the heart of town. Due to some constraints in logistics, we had to wave our pathetic little camera phones amidst those with intimidating SLRs and the large zoom lenses. Nevertheless, we captured a small segment of the track against our skyscrapers, and how the track was so well lit that the camera phone could give no sign of its details. Thanks to the Smits and hobbes! We had a great time!

10 Years Old

Derod and I celebrated our 10th anniversary two days ago. We spent the earlier five of those years in the carefree life of courtship and the later five in marriage. Yes, it's been a decade...

There's so much to talk about -- how we were in those days, how we have changed, what kind of people we are today, what is our marriage identified with, how we actually tolerated each other for ten years (and still counting), how we have grown as individuals and as a husband/ wife, etc etc etc.

I suppose it'll suffice to say that we talk about the past with loads of nostalgia, the present with hearts full of contentment and thanksgiving, and the future with expectancy of more beautiful days to come.

Trip to Tioman with friends from the music ministry in the varsity christian's fellowship. 1999.

Taken in my old room. 2001

Us now in 2008

Sibling Influence

I mentioned about the type of music that reigned in my household when I was a kid. Just when you thought that parents are the ones who paved the way and set the culture of the home, think again. Siblings have their fair share of influence too.

My sister has driven me up the wall with her intense fervor for various types of music, or at least, when we were still staying in the same house. She had this ability to sit directly in front of the stereo, sing along with the CD while referring to the lyrics, over and over and over and over and over again. This ends up with me being able to sing songs of groups that I absolutely dislike. Even if I have a neutral stand on certain individuals/ groups, weeks of intense grueling takes its toil.

The mode is not limited to the stereo, nor is the genre limited to pop. And not all of them are that bad. This, for example, I'm happy to acknowledge.

Finally!

After five long years, we finally got ourselves a clock in the living room.

Our other time telling devices consist of a small alarm clock in our bedroom and a proper clock in the study. The latter was a housewarming gift we handpicked. Derod's sister got us a dark wood framed clock when she holidayed on a nearby island and we propped it up in our living room. Alas, it didn't survive for very long and we went back to our usual time telling devices (our mobile phones, cordless phones and the watches that are left lying around).

We do walk around every now and then but since nothing really fits our living room very easily, we have decided not to buy anything until a suitable one comes along, which took us five years...

So may I present to you... *drum roll* OUR NEW CLOCK!

Conversation with Derod

Derod and I went out for a nice dinner a few weeks back. The venue was a stone's throw from our home, with a nice view of a lake. While taking in the relaxing atmosphere and enjoying the distraction-free meal, I brought up a hypothetical topic* for discussion. This is perhaps the part that's not so relaxing for derod. The following conversation is as best as I can remember and did not occur word for word.

Cheoklet: Would you buy me a $300 wallet?
Derod: Where is it from? How does it look like?
Cheoklet: Does it matter? The question is, would you buy me a $300 wallet?
Derod: I just want to see it before I pay for it, like is it leather, is the material high end, etc.
Cheoklet: So it means you'll buy me the wallet, but you just want to see it?
Derod: Yes.
Cheoklet: What?!?! You mean you'll actually happily buy me a $300 wallet?!
Derod: Ya, why not? Let's just say I'm taking the easy way out: since I don't really know what to buy for you most of the time, I'll rather buy something you like/ want.
Cheoklet: But it's $300! For a wallet!
Derod: Well, you don't often ask me to buy you anything. So, where's the wallet?
Cheoklet: You think there is an actual wallet, judging from how well you know me?
Derod: Hmmm... ya.
Cheoklet: *abit insulted* No. There's no wallet. I just wanted to discuss about spending an amount as such on an item like a wallet/ bag, and also with our situation of being a single-income family.
Derod: But I'll buy it for you anyway.

I burst out laughing in disbelief. So anyway, the discussion went on and as with times you get to chat with your spouse on occasions like such, it was fruitful and we got to know each other better. Derod also threw the same question retorically back at me, confident that I'd buy him something similar at that kind of price, if he'd asked for it. Well, it is true. But though it's something we don't really end up doing, it's nice to kinda set the values of this family.

But I was touched at his response, given that we have a tight budget. Contrary to popular belief, derod doesn't bring in tonnes of monthly income, and our decision to cut down to single income is also not based on the abundance that comes from his paycheck. Well as for me, knowing that he's willing to pour out this level of generosity and love is more than enough. *grinz*


* Disclaimer: This has got nothing to do with any recent acquisitions of my lunch partners. If you know who my regular lunch partners are, yup, this post has no reference to them. If you do not know who they are, then the topic will remain hypothetical to you without any other human reference ; )

Awwwwww....