All of us have been counting the days since we bought our air tickets in March. Come 17th June, we will be in Ho Chi Min City, staying with our dearest friend, Pius and KimChee. We are still talking about our first trip though it 's been two years. Junju is still excitable about the food, the trip to the Bamboo Park and riding on Uncle Pius' motorbike. For her, it's been one of the most thrilling holidays she's ever had.
First and foremost it was the adventure of riding on a motorbike for the first time. Of course, had I known they had gone without wearing safety helmets, I would have stop them. Alarmed I was, but the millions of cyclists in HCMC obviously do not adhere to the safety rules as the local government does not enforce them. Bicycles and motorbikes swarmed the city of HCMC everyday. They are a common mode of transportation for both human and animals. We have come across riders carrying chicken, pet birds and even dog all over the city. (Of course, both chicken and dog eventually ends up in the market as food). The kids have certainly enjoyed the adrenalin rush riding pillion on Uncle Pius' Suzuki.
As HCMC is not known for kids oriented activities like, museums with dinosaur skeletons or mummies, Uncle Pius suggested swimming. The swimming facility was nestled in a beautifully landscaped garden with fishing lakes and a restaurant. The kids had a smashing time and even made some new friends. But definitely no more motorcycle adventure! We'll be taking taxis from now on. (HCMC many outstanding war-based museums may not appeal to energetic impatient kids too young in ages. You're far better off taking them to Cu Chi Tunnel where they will have a time of their life pretending to be soldiers especially if they are boys. It's a good opportunity for older kids to do some videoing, if not do bring your notebooks and still camera. Lots of great moments here!)
Taxi service are time-saving and efficient way to get around in HCMC. Uncle Pius and KimChee depends on them daily as oppose to having their own car and driver which requires additional liability such as insurance. Streets in HCM central business district are narrow and most are one way street, making it all the more difficult to find a parking box. VERY SUSAH if you don't have a driver that waits and picks up as soon as you are done with whatever you are doing. Likewise, the thought of taking public buses quickly diminished as we are limited by our inability to speak Vietnamese.
So we indulged ourselves by taking taxis everyday and enjoyed them thoroughly as we would not have this opportunity back in KL. It was cheaper and more efficient that KL. We struggled to converse and memorizing Uncle Pius' home address was the only few we've managed. Till today, we can count on it to provide a good laugh as recalling the address in Vietnamese is soooo... hilarious. That's because Vietnamese words don't sound the way they are written at all. The kids gave it a good try for days and kids being kids, they are so gungho about learning new things especially if they are funny.
So Uncle Pius suggested going to the Bamboo Park. What an incredible surprise the Bamboo Park was. Again, beautifully landscaped with of course, lots and lots of bamboo plants. Everything is made from bamboo, the giant swing(I really mean GIANT), see-saw, the windmill, the merry-go-round etc. Everything is layout in a tropical garden with fish and lotus pond reminiscence of a traditional Vietnamese village. It is so nostalgic and picturesque that couples considered it to be a key location to have their wedding pictures taken there. Armed and escorted with hair, make-up artist and professional photographer, it was such a sight. We counted more than 20 over couples including one with a foreign groom, who almost fell out from a tree branch overhanging across the pond. Another sat in a traditional boat or sampan dressed in traditional Vietnamese wedding gown. Now, that's is what we called the "Universal Studio" in the most natural setting.
After "rubbing shoulders" with all the beautiful brides and grooms, we sat ourselves in a quite corner of a local cafe to sample a traditional "burnt rice crust pie" and some tea.
We would love to share more quirky moments in HCMC with you but we exit now with a short home video of the Bamboo Garden ......
Friday, June 5, 2009
Saturday, April 4, 2009
The Stepford Wives
I think most of us are familiar with these words, stylista, fashionista and lately recessionista. We are blasted with these bombastic terms on TV, the fashion news, web and the fashion business pages. ( The recessionista are fashionista, who due to the temporary economic situation actually recycle their expensive hoards of designer clothes or buy labels from lesser known designers. This will boost the image of lesser known fashion designer and increase their business. By the time the recession is over, the price of clothing by them, now made famous by those recessionista will be beyond our reach. So, we are back to buying clothes of the rack for most of us. One of those vicious cycles that never end.)
Stylista, fashionista or recessionista, I am not one but I am close to pioneering a new groupie called the "ORGANIZTA". No, it's not Russian, Hungarian or even remotely Romanian human right organization. (It's a slang originating from the word "organize", from the Latin word "organum" or "organizare" and means to arrange in order, to coordinate or to group using "tools".)
Succumbing to the fashion trends, I do not. Only a confession of my weakness for all home gadget and having absolutely no resistant not even to a pair of chopsticks. For those fashionitas out there, imagine staring at a pair of Jimmy Choo's 6-inch Stilettos and trying to tear yourself away. For that reason my daughter enthroned me with the title the "Home Gadget Queen of 151".
You will find the best kitchen knives and accessories (Ahem ... GLOBAL knives) BAMIX hand blender, WILTON silicon bakewares, SALTER weighing scale, Villeroy crockeries and etc in my queenly domain, my kitchen of course. (I have been known to carry ethnic brass and copper cooking pots all the way from China, I am quite unstoppable.)
In order to keep them in place, the queen needs her "essentials". Guess where the Home Queen hunts for these. My hunting grounds extend from IKEA, JayaJusco, MetroJaya, Isetan eg. to the more down to earth (I mean down to earth prices) 100 Yen Store, to the latest in the market which is DAISO JAPAN.
Super "kawaii" cute Japanese imports are available at Daiso at super low prices of RM5.00. ( A surprised shopper came to me and asked for confirmation.) A huge variety of products ranging from Japanese to Western-style table wares, kitchen wares, bathroom accessories, wardrobe organizers, cosmetic to stationary even gardening and hardwares are available. Of course the ever important BOXES that comes in different sizes, colors and materials.
Everything is beautifully crafted, designed and coordinated to help any proud homemakers make their home perfect like those "Stepford Wives". Certainly a tribute to the Japanese (more like Japanese men) who introduced this culture to all of us.
Their sophisticated culture have resulted in everything near perfect. Daily rituals so evident from their manners right down to their food presentation, their impeccable simple fashion sense to home wares to electronic gadgets make us gasp in awe. (Remember their invention of the perfect toilet bidet? The bidet that washes and air-dries your derriere after you done your business and flushes automatically. If you are still not convinced, visit a handicraft store, a pastry store in Tokyo and you will wonder why. The very fact that they recovered from a devastating ww2 to become a super modern nation speaks for itself.)
Back to DAISO. It was love at first sight. What a rush! Finally discovering a new playground seemingly with a never-ending maze!
So, take a drive to Puchong 101 Mall. Remember to bring cash because DAISO does not accept credit cards. That's probably the only little pain in the @$%& they need to sort out because at RM5.00, your basket will be filled up in no time.
Happy Shopping!!
P.S. One more item I am adding to my basket, a designer cupcake courier which my cousin will be bringing back from US.
Stylista, fashionista or recessionista, I am not one but I am close to pioneering a new groupie called the "ORGANIZTA". No, it's not Russian, Hungarian or even remotely Romanian human right organization. (It's a slang originating from the word "organize", from the Latin word "organum" or "organizare" and means to arrange in order, to coordinate or to group using "tools".)
Succumbing to the fashion trends, I do not. Only a confession of my weakness for all home gadget and having absolutely no resistant not even to a pair of chopsticks. For those fashionitas out there, imagine staring at a pair of Jimmy Choo's 6-inch Stilettos and trying to tear yourself away. For that reason my daughter enthroned me with the title the "Home Gadget Queen of 151".
You will find the best kitchen knives and accessories (Ahem ... GLOBAL knives) BAMIX hand blender, WILTON silicon bakewares, SALTER weighing scale, Villeroy crockeries and etc in my queenly domain, my kitchen of course. (I have been known to carry ethnic brass and copper cooking pots all the way from China, I am quite unstoppable.)
In order to keep them in place, the queen needs her "essentials". Guess where the Home Queen hunts for these. My hunting grounds extend from IKEA, JayaJusco, MetroJaya, Isetan eg. to the more down to earth (I mean down to earth prices) 100 Yen Store, to the latest in the market which is DAISO JAPAN.
Super "kawaii" cute Japanese imports are available at Daiso at super low prices of RM5.00. ( A surprised shopper came to me and asked for confirmation.) A huge variety of products ranging from Japanese to Western-style table wares, kitchen wares, bathroom accessories, wardrobe organizers, cosmetic to stationary even gardening and hardwares are available. Of course the ever important BOXES that comes in different sizes, colors and materials.
Everything is beautifully crafted, designed and coordinated to help any proud homemakers make their home perfect like those "Stepford Wives". Certainly a tribute to the Japanese (more like Japanese men) who introduced this culture to all of us.
Their sophisticated culture have resulted in everything near perfect. Daily rituals so evident from their manners right down to their food presentation, their impeccable simple fashion sense to home wares to electronic gadgets make us gasp in awe. (Remember their invention of the perfect toilet bidet? The bidet that washes and air-dries your derriere after you done your business and flushes automatically. If you are still not convinced, visit a handicraft store, a pastry store in Tokyo and you will wonder why. The very fact that they recovered from a devastating ww2 to become a super modern nation speaks for itself.)
Back to DAISO. It was love at first sight. What a rush! Finally discovering a new playground seemingly with a never-ending maze!
So, take a drive to Puchong 101 Mall. Remember to bring cash because DAISO does not accept credit cards. That's probably the only little pain in the @$%& they need to sort out because at RM5.00, your basket will be filled up in no time.
Happy Shopping!!
P.S. One more item I am adding to my basket, a designer cupcake courier which my cousin will be bringing back from US.
Tuesday, October 14, 2008
10 Most Desirable Virtues In A Man
A
Man's
10
Most
Desirable
VirtuesAccording to
ME
Being an only child where my father was never around means I never have the opportunity to understand the opposite sex. The women in my family had been strong, self-independent and very capable indeed. My mother raised me up on her own and my grandmother herself was a young widow. The only two men in the house were my uncles who were hardly at home.
All that changed after I got married. The BEFORE and AFTER were two worlds apart! Certainly not what I expected and anticipated.
1. Pride himself on his punctuality, he never neglects to call if he fails to be there on time. If he says he around the corner, the drive around the corner should not be half an hour later before he arrives. That is unless his car happens to have a flat or the car had engine problem. Of course all is forgiven if he is late, but arrive with a surprise.
2. Remain the wonderful husband/boyfriend he is instead of acting as your driving instructor. Please keep an open mind as to our driving style or speed. Driving should be a pleasurable task as we already lived in a fast lane. We are not denying that men are the better drivers, all we're asking is that you air your comments after we've reach the destination. The car should not be the battleground.
3. The ability to listen as if we, your ladies are the center of your cosmic world. As for my husband, he talks to himself while I talking to him. Maybe I am asking too much. In any case, I think I should stick to my intimate girlfriends if my soul needs a purging or two of any deep seated emotional distress.
4. Be a man of the 21st century. You no longer lived with your mother, whose sole responsibility was to cap the tube of toothpaste, pick up your used ear buds, collect your soiled underwear or smelly socks. In reality, your wives are mothers of her own kids whom she is desperately trying to help kick those bad habits.
5. A man who enjoys a good movie with you. Remember those romantic movies you'd watched when you were dating your man, those precious moments are now a thing of the past. Instead, you 'll be watching Steven Seagal or a Nicholas Cage flops and not the Jennifer Aniston or Anne Hathaway romantic comedy for the night. Then he wonders why there are no "cuddles" after that. Duh!
6. A man who understand that the car is not an extension of the house both of you are living in. Although my job offers me great flexibility as I could work from home but I also handle the bulk of the house chores. The start of my day ran into the gamut of..... feeding the 12 budgies, 10 Japanese Koi, the dog (feeding, walking, picking up doggy business), sending kids to school, shopping, cooking, laundering, picking kids from school, tutoring ..... I think we all get it and I hope you men out there get it too... So please have a heart and send the car for a clean up instead of saying " Why is your car so filthy when the house is not"
7. "The Disappearing Act 1" - My man has the knack of running off and forgetting to tell where he's off to. As a boy during the May 13th, his parents had to searched for him all over Bricksfield
as the night curfew was about to begin. Something about those soldiers excited him and he was actually following them not knowing they were there because of the political unrest.
8. His humor
9. His love for his family and mankind
10. His understanding, patience, undying love for ME
Hey, these are my opinions solely and do not reflect those of all the ladies out there. After all,
I am entitled to mine.
2. Remain the wonderful husband/boyfriend he is instead of acting as your driving instructor. Please keep an open mind as to our driving style or speed. Driving should be a pleasurable task as we already lived in a fast lane. We are not denying that men are the better drivers, all we're asking is that you air your comments after we've reach the destination. The car should not be the battleground.
3. The ability to listen as if we, your ladies are the center of your cosmic world. As for my husband, he talks to himself while I talking to him. Maybe I am asking too much. In any case, I think I should stick to my intimate girlfriends if my soul needs a purging or two of any deep seated emotional distress.
4. Be a man of the 21st century. You no longer lived with your mother, whose sole responsibility was to cap the tube of toothpaste, pick up your used ear buds, collect your soiled underwear or smelly socks. In reality, your wives are mothers of her own kids whom she is desperately trying to help kick those bad habits.
5. A man who enjoys a good movie with you. Remember those romantic movies you'd watched when you were dating your man, those precious moments are now a thing of the past. Instead, you 'll be watching Steven Seagal or a Nicholas Cage flops and not the Jennifer Aniston or Anne Hathaway romantic comedy for the night. Then he wonders why there are no "cuddles" after that. Duh!
6. A man who understand that the car is not an extension of the house both of you are living in. Although my job offers me great flexibility as I could work from home but I also handle the bulk of the house chores. The start of my day ran into the gamut of..... feeding the 12 budgies, 10 Japanese Koi, the dog (feeding, walking, picking up doggy business), sending kids to school, shopping, cooking, laundering, picking kids from school, tutoring ..... I think we all get it and I hope you men out there get it too... So please have a heart and send the car for a clean up instead of saying " Why is your car so filthy when the house is not"
7. "The Disappearing Act 1" - My man has the knack of running off and forgetting to tell where he's off to. As a boy during the May 13th, his parents had to searched for him all over Bricksfield
as the night curfew was about to begin. Something about those soldiers excited him and he was actually following them not knowing they were there because of the political unrest.
8. His humor
9. His love for his family and mankind
10. His understanding, patience, undying love for ME
Hey, these are my opinions solely and do not reflect those of all the ladies out there. After all,
I am entitled to mine.
Monday, October 6, 2008
Made For Survival
For most of us who've made the choice not to have maids (I resolved to remain maid free after my one and only disappeared on a Sunday morning and never returned). Due to financial circumstances or otherwise, cleaning and keeping house can be a daunting task, especially if your kids are sensitive to household dust and allergens, you tend to become even more careful.
There are hundreds of cleaning aids out there to help you out. However, you'll need the eyesight of an eagle to read the label and if you somehow manage to get through that hurdle, you'll need a background in chemistry to understand what's in the bottle.
So how do I manage? Well, you don't need to be a rocket scientist for sure. For a start, you do need a schedule based on rotation chore timetable. Secondly, a good start-up kit, some very basic cleaning aids. You can even make them yourself (the internet offers tonnes of recipes), if not scout around for inexpensive organic brands. Finally, you need to have the determination, courage, strength and a big sense of humour.
* Selley 3M, Cosway, Tesco, Ace Hardware, Jaya Jusco, Sogo, has a decent selections of micro-fibre cloths. They are available in different sizes. Large ones make good hand/face towels. They are easy to wash, fast drying and super absorbent.
*Micro-fibre/sponge mops are fine if your floor are not terracotta like mine. Mine will chew up the mop.
* Tile grout brush and baby-bottle brush looks similar to toilet brush. Slender and slightly curve at the end. Ideal for hard to reach corners of your shower cubicle and between grout.
* Sand paper block are available from good hardware shop. They remove metallic scuff mark on tile surface and hardwater ring stain in the toilet bowl. Always use them damp and be sure to rinse after using. Can be use on their own or with some soda bicarb powder for tough stains.
* A damp cloth wipe run over the micro duster first ensures every particles of dust gets wipe away.
* A 1: 10 solution of water and vinegar in a spray bottle is great for the quick touch-up. Spray onto any surface (Floor, kitchen counter, Bathroom porcelain fittings, tiles) and wipe. It helps to deodorize and remove oily residue. A small amount of vinegar in a glass jar will deodorize smell from your kitchen cabinet or fridge.
* A mixture(1:10) of essential oil eg lavender, eucalyptus, sandalwood, lemongrass and water makes your homes smelling fresh as if you have brought the outdoors in. In Sri Lanka sandalwood oil is mix with water cleans and refreshes wooden floor. Its anti-pest quality means it's a safer alternative to your petrol-based bug spray. Remember to invest in organic essential oil which is unadulterated.
* Old newspapers are still the cheapest way to bring a shine to your glass doors or window.
TIP:
Get yourself some pretty boxes or better still recycle gift boxes, shoes boxes for these emergencies. Many of the inexpensive boxes are available in myriads of design and textures. My favourite haunt is 100 YEN SHOP (Original $5.00 shop from Japan), Ace Hardware, IKEA , Sogo, Jaya Jusco, Tesco, Carrefour, smaller shops along Jalan Tuanku Abdul Rahman (gorgeous bamboo/reed baskets/boxes) . At home my collection of antique boxes/chests are left around the house to store things, from keys to toys to books and magazines.
BIGGEST TIP:
Spring clean and declutter regularly. Discipline, determination and dedication is the most important if you want to your heavenly abode to resembles those dreamy homes you see on TV. Working smart will save you precious time which you can then spend with your loved ones.
There is a saying " No one is perfect" but there is also another that says " Practice makes perfect"
Have Fun!
There are hundreds of cleaning aids out there to help you out. However, you'll need the eyesight of an eagle to read the label and if you somehow manage to get through that hurdle, you'll need a background in chemistry to understand what's in the bottle.
So how do I manage? Well, you don't need to be a rocket scientist for sure. For a start, you do need a schedule based on rotation chore timetable. Secondly, a good start-up kit, some very basic cleaning aids. You can even make them yourself (the internet offers tonnes of recipes), if not scout around for inexpensive organic brands. Finally, you need to have the determination, courage, strength and a big sense of humour.
*Magic Basket
1. Organic or good quality house hold cleaners
2. A couple of lint-free micro-fibre cloths
3. A medium size bucket and 100 % cotton/sponge mop
4. Lavatory brush and tile grout brush/baby- bottle brush
5. Sand paper block/sponge
6. micro-fibre feather duster
7. Distilled vinegar and Soda Bicarbonate powder
(Located at the baking and oil sections aisles)
8. Leftover toothpaste (any cheapy one will do)
9. Your most precious resources, your kids, maybe hubby and lots of elbow grease...
10. TIME
* HolyCow Organic, Cosway Eco-range, Ecover are a few brands available from organic outlets.2. A couple of lint-free micro-fibre cloths
3. A medium size bucket and 100 % cotton/sponge mop
4. Lavatory brush and tile grout brush/baby- bottle brush
5. Sand paper block/sponge
6. micro-fibre feather duster
7. Distilled vinegar and Soda Bicarbonate powder
(Located at the baking and oil sections aisles)
8. Leftover toothpaste (any cheapy one will do)
9. Your most precious resources, your kids, maybe hubby and lots of elbow grease...
10. TIME
* Selley 3M, Cosway, Tesco, Ace Hardware, Jaya Jusco, Sogo, has a decent selections of micro-fibre cloths. They are available in different sizes. Large ones make good hand/face towels. They are easy to wash, fast drying and super absorbent.
*Micro-fibre/sponge mops are fine if your floor are not terracotta like mine. Mine will chew up the mop.
* Tile grout brush and baby-bottle brush looks similar to toilet brush. Slender and slightly curve at the end. Ideal for hard to reach corners of your shower cubicle and between grout.
* Sand paper block are available from good hardware shop. They remove metallic scuff mark on tile surface and hardwater ring stain in the toilet bowl. Always use them damp and be sure to rinse after using. Can be use on their own or with some soda bicarb powder for tough stains.
* A damp cloth wipe run over the micro duster first ensures every particles of dust gets wipe away.
* A 1: 10 solution of water and vinegar in a spray bottle is great for the quick touch-up. Spray onto any surface (Floor, kitchen counter, Bathroom porcelain fittings, tiles) and wipe. It helps to deodorize and remove oily residue. A small amount of vinegar in a glass jar will deodorize smell from your kitchen cabinet or fridge.
* A mixture(1:10) of essential oil eg lavender, eucalyptus, sandalwood, lemongrass and water makes your homes smelling fresh as if you have brought the outdoors in. In Sri Lanka sandalwood oil is mix with water cleans and refreshes wooden floor. Its anti-pest quality means it's a safer alternative to your petrol-based bug spray. Remember to invest in organic essential oil which is unadulterated.
* Old newspapers are still the cheapest way to bring a shine to your glass doors or window.
TIP:
Get yourself some pretty boxes or better still recycle gift boxes, shoes boxes for these emergencies. Many of the inexpensive boxes are available in myriads of design and textures. My favourite haunt is 100 YEN SHOP (Original $5.00 shop from Japan), Ace Hardware, IKEA , Sogo, Jaya Jusco, Tesco, Carrefour, smaller shops along Jalan Tuanku Abdul Rahman (gorgeous bamboo/reed baskets/boxes) . At home my collection of antique boxes/chests are left around the house to store things, from keys to toys to books and magazines.
BIGGEST TIP:
Spring clean and declutter regularly. Discipline, determination and dedication is the most important if you want to your heavenly abode to resembles those dreamy homes you see on TV. Working smart will save you precious time which you can then spend with your loved ones.
There is a saying " No one is perfect" but there is also another that says " Practice makes perfect"
Have Fun!
Thursday, October 2, 2008
Holy Cow @#$%!
Would anyone believe this? I mean, how things can go wrong one after another.
First, my rear brake light unit broke off after a motorcyclist rammed into my car one morning. I even offered first aid assistance to him all while he was chastising me for braking abruptly causing him his misery.
I suddenly felt like a kid that had been spanked for a mischievous deed committed by another kid. Every other car behind me saw the little mishap and they too were not very forgiving, especially since a woman was involved. I could feel the "surround sound effects" as a result of car horns blasting from all directions telling me to move. I gritted my tongue, heaved an apology and drove away.
Back at home, I was not spared the usual interrogation. Is this a women drivers problem with men only or do men have a problem with women drivers as a whole? There had been tons of jokes about us being bad at driving, bad at reading maps and so on. My husband tells me that a woman's brain uses far less brain matter compared to that of a man when it comes to driving or operating machinery .(there is scientific proof this.) But why do I have the funny feeling that these tests were conducted men!
One week later, a newly purchased bottle of organic grapeseed oil exploded, drenching the rear passenger seat completely. Three weeks on, our efforts in washing and deodorizing the seats remain futile. The car still has that warm oily smell and it is more obvious if the days are hot.
Totally adhering to a plastic & paperless shopping motto has been my shortcoming that day. Next time, I will not refuse the cashiers offer to bag bottles with any liquid.
A fortnight following that incident, I crashed my car rolling into another as I was about to turn and exit from a road junction. To think that it could happen at a 10km driving speed was surprising. (Actually many accidents happen at that speed, my husband named it the "parking bay speed"). $150.00 compensation to the victim, and my own repair bill of $550.00 and that incident became another red mark on my driving annals among the many others.
I am not going to be intimidated by my "fall from my beloved horse". I am determined to perfect my driving skills just like how I am perfecting my mothering, child- raising, cooking, baking, home-making and etc. These things take a lifetime to master.
I realize I may not be Mrs 100 % but I will match the standard I've set. With two young audiences who are watching me at all times I have to set a good example. No resting on my laurels for me.
P.S. By the way, I chance upon the Holy Cow Organic cleaning products from USA at Ace Hardware Mid Valley, Kuala Lumpur. It is one of the most inexpensive organic stuff compared to what is currently available in premium supermarkets and organic outlets. They come in large almost 800 ml and in 3 variants for different usages. Other organic cleaning products either made in USA or Australia eg. Ecover are priced at more than $15 above. So I grab about 6 bottles just in case Ace decides to raise the price.
The "prove of the pudding test" is definitely "no lingering smell", no rushing out my shower cubicle after spraying prior to scrubbing. My son even uses the PINK Cow to wash his school shoes as his feet easily succumbs to eczema. They proudly sit alongside my home-concocted bottles of vinegar & soap, Arm & Hammer baking soda as new recruits joining my simple, non-life threatening house-keeping regime.
First, my rear brake light unit broke off after a motorcyclist rammed into my car one morning. I even offered first aid assistance to him all while he was chastising me for braking abruptly causing him his misery.
I suddenly felt like a kid that had been spanked for a mischievous deed committed by another kid. Every other car behind me saw the little mishap and they too were not very forgiving, especially since a woman was involved. I could feel the "surround sound effects" as a result of car horns blasting from all directions telling me to move. I gritted my tongue, heaved an apology and drove away.
Back at home, I was not spared the usual interrogation. Is this a women drivers problem with men only or do men have a problem with women drivers as a whole? There had been tons of jokes about us being bad at driving, bad at reading maps and so on. My husband tells me that a woman's brain uses far less brain matter compared to that of a man when it comes to driving or operating machinery .(there is scientific proof this.) But why do I have the funny feeling that these tests were conducted men!
One week later, a newly purchased bottle of organic grapeseed oil exploded, drenching the rear passenger seat completely. Three weeks on, our efforts in washing and deodorizing the seats remain futile. The car still has that warm oily smell and it is more obvious if the days are hot.
Totally adhering to a plastic & paperless shopping motto has been my shortcoming that day. Next time, I will not refuse the cashiers offer to bag bottles with any liquid.
A fortnight following that incident, I crashed my car rolling into another as I was about to turn and exit from a road junction. To think that it could happen at a 10km driving speed was surprising. (Actually many accidents happen at that speed, my husband named it the "parking bay speed"). $150.00 compensation to the victim, and my own repair bill of $550.00 and that incident became another red mark on my driving annals among the many others.
I am not going to be intimidated by my "fall from my beloved horse". I am determined to perfect my driving skills just like how I am perfecting my mothering, child- raising, cooking, baking, home-making and etc. These things take a lifetime to master.
I realize I may not be Mrs 100 % but I will match the standard I've set. With two young audiences who are watching me at all times I have to set a good example. No resting on my laurels for me.
P.S. By the way, I chance upon the Holy Cow Organic cleaning products from USA at Ace Hardware Mid Valley, Kuala Lumpur. It is one of the most inexpensive organic stuff compared to what is currently available in premium supermarkets and organic outlets. They come in large almost 800 ml and in 3 variants for different usages. Other organic cleaning products either made in USA or Australia eg. Ecover are priced at more than $15 above. So I grab about 6 bottles just in case Ace decides to raise the price.
The "prove of the pudding test" is definitely "no lingering smell", no rushing out my shower cubicle after spraying prior to scrubbing. My son even uses the PINK Cow to wash his school shoes as his feet easily succumbs to eczema. They proudly sit alongside my home-concocted bottles of vinegar & soap, Arm & Hammer baking soda as new recruits joining my simple, non-life threatening house-keeping regime.
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