Nothing better than a good laugh.

If anyone sees me right now, he might think I'm going nuts coz I'm laughing like nobody's business though the two little kiddos are sleeping soundly in the room.

Found a site that contains funny stories and ad excerpts. I felt better and merrier after going through the site. It has been rather a bland day for me. Here are some of the funny ones.

=============================================
Cup Holder

Tech Rep: "Yes, it is. How may I help you?

Caller: "The cup holder on my PC is broken and I am within my warranty period. How do I go about getting that fixed?"

Tech Rep: "I'm sorry, but did you say a cup holder?"

Caller: "Yes, it's attached to the front of my computer."

Tech Rep: "Please excuse me if I seem a bit sutmped, it's because I am. Did you receive this as part of a promotion. at a trade show? How did you get this cup holder? Does it have any trademark on it?"

Caller: "It came with my computer, I don't know anything about a promotion. It just has '4X' on it."

At this point the Tech Rep had to mute the caller, becuase he couldn't stand it.
The caller had been using the load drawer of the CD-ROM drive as a cup holder, and snapped it off the drive.

=============================================

" A woman and her sister were at the mall and passed by a store that sold a variety of nuts. As they were looking at the display case, the boy behind the counter asked if they needed any help. The woman replied, "No, I'm just looking at your nuts." The sister started to laugh hysterically, the boy grinned, and she turned beet red and walked away."

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(This one is my fav.)
"A lady picked up several items at a discount store. When she finally got up to the checker, she learned that one of her items had no price tag. Imagine her embarrassment when the checker got on the intercom and boomed out for the entire store to hear, 'PRICE CHECK ON LANE THIRTEEN, TAMPAX, SUPERSIZE.' That was bad enough, but somebody at the rear of the store apparently misunderstood the word 'Tampax' for 'Thumbtacks'. In a businesslike tone, a voice boomed back over the intercom: 'DO YOU WANT THE KIND YOU PUSH IN WITH YOUR THUMB OR THE KIND YOU POUND IN WITH A HAMMER?'

=============================================

FOR SALE BY OWNER: Complete set of Encyclopedia Britannica. 45 volumes. Excellent condition. $1,000.00 or best offer. No longer needed. Got married last weekend. Wife knows everything.

Free puppies: 1/2 Cocker spaniel, 1/2 sneaky neighbor's dog.

Lost: small brown poodle. Reward. Neutered. Like one of the family.

Nice Parachute - Never opened. Used once.

=============================================

Have a visit and hope you'll have good and healthy chuckles along the way.
http://www.onlyfunnystories.com/

Persistent Fredie

This is a story of a hunky frog,

that croaked so loud so much like a hog,

He landed in the lotus pond,

we wished everyday that he'll be gone.

The evenings are our TV time,

but tranquility was shaken by a crime,

To our horror, the croakings came along,

So Fredie was thrown to a nearby billabong.

An hour passed and we were at peace,

but Fredie came back and we were in a twist.

The croakings came daunting and haunting.

We laughed admist temper amounting.

For three days in a row, Fredie kept croaking.

Arghh...When will his mate answer the callings?

No matter how far the banishments were,

Fredie will come back with more fervor.

Fredie found his mate the day after,

and two sets of croaking worsened the matter,

They got their chance of a romantic night,

and gone the next day, what a delight!

Few days later, the pond were infested,

Tadpoles were everywhere, someone help us!

Into the drain, off they go!

But some did stay by laying low.

This crazy mommy caught a few,

so the kids may have a full view,

into the jar tadpoles went a swimming.

Alden and Edric really went a beaming.

Two legs, four legs and shortening tails,

The little froggies jumped out of the pail.

Back to the pond to where they belong,

Mommy and the kids bade them 'So long!'.

Funny how we never heard them,

It's crazy, but we do miss them,

Guess they decide to leave their nest.

At least for now we get our rest.

(Am apologizing for the pics are not so good here.)

Tadpoles in the pond.


The beady eyes make them look cute. Their shapes remind me of stingrays though.


Side view.


Two legs.


The one on the right looks like godzillalah. he,he


Four legs.

Shortening tail.

Looks like little gold specks on the body.

Ready for the big world out there.

Dang those worms..

All these while I'm a big supporter of 'grow your own food; well, thanks to my mom. We grew a lot of vegetables and fruits on our backyard when we were staying in Keningau. The land around our little house was quite large. That was why we can plant so much. The cool, black soil feels good to the touch and I really don't mind working with my bare hands.
I could still see the green lush patches and the fruit trees in my head. Hmm..:) Really miss the sight, the smell, the morning mist and the coolness of the weather, especially in the morning. It will be awesome if I could climb the cherry trees again.

Mom called me up a few days ago telling me that something bit her hand though she couldn't recall seeing any insects on her hand. The skin around her hand was inflamed and errupted into rashes. Initially thought to be an insect bite, she went to a private clinic to seek treatment. However, her condition worsened as the days go by. She started to see trails in the skin and the itch from the affected area was immensed especially at night.
The moment she mentioned about trails, the word parasite popped up in my head. My poor mom actually went back to see the dr when she felt the medication was not working. However, she got a rather cold shoulder and the dr sent her off saying that she has to finish her medication and it will be alright.

I told her the possibility of parasite infestation is very high since she mentioned the symptoms of intense itch and snakelike trails developing on her skin. She made a trip to a skin specialist and the dr immediately told her that she has hookworms in her hand.

What my mom had is called creeping eruption. It is an infection from dog or cat hookworm larvae. Well, from time to time, we see stray cats running about in the garden. The carrier must have defecated there and as the parasite's eggs hatched, the soil around would have been infested with the larvae. Since mom gardens with her bare hands, it was easy for the little sucker to dig into her skin and thus causing intense inflammation, rashes and severe itching.

All these while, we weren't really concerned with what minute creatures are there in the soil. As long as there are no feces around, then it will be a go for us to work with our hands. As for me, minus the earthworms too. Sorry...I'm really not a fan of them..wouldn't even touch them if someone pays me to. But, my phobia doesn't include me screaming around and go on a killing spree by stomping the slimmy creatures to death. I'll be happy if they'll just creep away and let me do my gardening in 'peace'. Those bull-headed ones will have free mild flying lessons.

Anyhow, I'll be wearing gloves and covered shoes from now on if I'm going to the vege patch. Wouldn't want to give a chance to those tunnelling creepers.

More info on creeping eruption can be found here:-

http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/001454.htm

When love is in the air one morning....

One early morning, as I stood outside just to marvel at the clear blue sky and I saw something that made me smile. It brightened up my mood and I had a real good day through and through.

(I was dashing like mad to get my camera...)

The glass is broken and my chicken is dead...

Spec needs a new coat of paint and he needs serious makeover too but both hubby and I always tell ourselves that Spec still looks okay despite a few bumps and bruises.

"No one's gonna steal/mug the driver since the car is err..not so goodlooking." I wonder whether he's trying to console me or degrade my poor baby..
A couple of months later, the opposite thing happened...hmm..I think hubby should disinfect his mouth!




My poor chicky...

Chicky was removed from the scene..too sad to see him lying facedown like that...(*_*)

Hubby used Spec that day. He and his friend decided to take some quick bite in Ipoh Garden before going home. Since it was only a half an hour stop, his friend left a laptop on the backseat.

That's the last time he's going to see it. The robber smashed the side window to make a little opening. I wonder how did he pulled it off without anyone seeing coz the area is always busy. Probably everybody is too busy to notice anything else.

Well, lesson learned. Robbers do care for only one thing and that is opportunity; anything else is trivial.

New Bottles for kids

I finally got BPA-free bottles for Edric and Alden. When the first cautionary articles were published about the danger in the normal milk bottles, they caused a stir in my mind. I stopped boiling the milk bottles and merely emersing them in hot water for a while. I still got tonnes of the normal milk bottles and I don't want to waste them. So I changed the bottles every three months.
However, a documentary I saw in TV really shocked me. Those new, unboiled bottles do leaches out the endocrine-interrupting chemicals. A researcher has tested that the amount of BPA increases a lot more after the bottles where sterilized through boiling water 10 times.
Our drinking water may not be that safe too coz most of the plastic rubbish do tend to end up in the waters. Mayhap water-filtering and treatment could lessen the effect but mind you, we drink from plastic bottles too.
We are surrounded by plastic products. They are everywhere and I wonder what can I do to minimize the exposure to these chemicals. Go back to the basics, all things glass and stainless steel? That's gonna be difficult.
What do you think?

Boo Hoo

I'm so easily depressed nowadays. My mind keeps on straying to the weird sensation at the back of my neck. Guess it will always be there and I have to get used to it. Macam ada belangkas melekat di belakang.
I went to a well-known Chinese Dr last Sunday. He took a look at my x-rays and gave a sigh. Saya pun ikutlah...sigh....my heart just went down further into the sinkhole.
He asked me 1 question ' How old are you? ' and I told him. 'If you are having pain at this age, how will it be when you are 50?' I just smiled. He is actually a nice old gentleman but at that time I just felt like I was slapped right across the face. Sedih bah..
I have to keep on having therapy every week and I should refrain from bending my head down too much. Macam robotlah jadinya....

For months I kept on looking over the web trying to find the answer to my condition. I got the answer this time. Klippel-Feil Syndrome. It is an uncommon congenital fusion of the Cervical vertabrae, whether it involves 2 segments (like mine, which is C4 and C5), or the entire cervical spine (which is most severe). Congenital cervical fusion is the result of failure of normal segmentation of the cervical bone precursors (called somites) during the third and eighth weeks of life. Majority of patients are female with a prevalence of 1 in 42,ooo births.
Hmmm...talking about luck.

Patients of this syndrome can be identified at any age. Cosmetic deformity that is associated with massive fusions is usually noted in infancy or early childhood. However, cervical fusions at the lower level (like mine), considering as non-massive, often do not present until later in life (30's +), when degenerative changes or instability of adjacent segments develops.

The website post this warning. Apalagi tambah sejuklah si kawan ni.

All patients with congenital cervical fusion should avoid body contact sports as well as any recreational activities that may put them at risk for head trauma.
The potential of catastrophic outcomes with this structural abnormalities is very real and must be kept it mind throughout the life of the affected individual.
Long term follow up is highly recommended. Patients and his/her family must be carefully and fully counselled.

I kept on thinking of all the activities I did during childhood and teens. All of them actually was risky to me but I'm glad I did them. No regrets at all.
Still, I am sad, but for today only.
Lantaklah! Life is short, I better stay happy.

Special visitor

I'm a lagger, I know. I have no idea what strucked me a couple of weeks ago. I stopped surfing the net, I stopped FBooking, and I hit the sack early everyday. Must be a stay-at-home mom symptom. I'm totally unmotivated. Hmm...but a day trip to Penang last Monday was a refresher.

Started the day early with breakfast and off we went. Stopped by Bukit Tambun for a rest so Edric can have his porridge. We reached the island in the afternoon and had seafood for lunch. We basically drove around make a few stops here and there.. nothing bombastic.
Alden was the one who had the most fun coz he get to ride on the ferry across.
We reached home at around 10 p.m. When I opened the main door, I felt something amiss.
The dustbin was ransacked and there was a certain smell in the house.

Told hubby of what I saw and walked slowly towards the back of the house. All the detergents in the bathroom were toppled down. Haiiii...biawak lagi...

Of all days the fella chose this day to enter the house from the bathroom drain. We were all so tired already and Edric was wailing coz it was his bedtime. I just dumped him in the playpen and asked Alden to keep him company while we searched for the annoying reptile.

The next thing I heard was hubby scolding me. 'You didn't close the door when you left the room!' 'Haiyah...I don't rememberlah...I was in the rush this morning' (The usual me...I started to get defensive each time there's a conflict..and yeah..I sound a bit like Makcik already...I know..)

'Let's hope it didn't end up in your room!' Get me the torchlight! (Bark bark bark...yalah yalah)
True enough, the 2 and a half feet lizard was hiding under my bed...isssshhhh..of all places...

Hubby and I had to clear everything from the floor so it would be easier to catch it. This time hubby macam crocodile hunter oh...ha,ha,ha...he attached a noose to the broom pole and caught it.

It didn't even crossed my mind to take pictures because of all the commotion. We let the lizard off the hook again this time. Lain kali dia masuk lagi, sia masak sup herbalah dia ni.
I had to air the room for 2 days before we got rid of the smell. Yuck!

Eja?

Saya sakit belakang lagi ni. Went to acupuncture 2 days ago. Just feel a little relief on my shoulder. Pinggang pun kena ni kali. Sakitnya....

For the past two weeks, I've been trying to get Alden to memorize the spellings of 5 Malay words. The kid's head must be made of stone coz he won't cooperate to learn.
I've tried so many ways to get his attention; from the conventional write and read out loud to game cards.
The words required by the teacher for him to spell : Api, Ayam, Bapa, Buku and Cili.

Api took a week. Ayam... jadi aym..selalu hilang tu 'a'. I asked him where it is, he said sudah telan masuk perut...haiiiiii....
He always got confused between bapa and buku....bila suruh eja bapa...he said b a ...'ba'...a u 'ku'.....bikin pening kepala saya ja dia ni...
I asked him what he remembers, he said 'dunno'. 'Your head must be full of stars!' and he just laughed away...
The funny thing is the fella can remember poems as fast as trains. Maybe the poems are more fun to learn than the boring spellings.

His dictation is today. So fingers-crossed. I won't have a high expectation. Just hoped that the days that I put in to hammer the words in his head are worth it. Kesian juga sia tengok, selalu ja kena marah. Hope I can build up more patience when teaching him.
It's really scary how a five year old's syllabus can be quite extensive nowadays. Really can't imagine how is it going to be like when he's in primary school. Now I know why the children are so stressed with their school works.
Oh..well, better not worry too much. I prefer to let him enjoy his childhood.

Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star

When I went back to KK last year, I dug up some of my childhood favorite books and started to scan the pages. I was bored while recuperating from my surgery and trying to find something to do without my mom shouting at me 'don't do this, don't do that. You're going to hurt your neck again'.
She finally consented to let me do some light reading provided I don't look down. hmmmm...with the neck brace on, it was impossible for me to look down eh mom..

I stumbled on a book of poems, mainly from Mother Goose. As I look at them, I found Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star. I never knew that there are 5 verses in this poem.
Most of the children's books nowadays only showed the first and most famous verse and that is what being sung by the kids today.

Here are the 5 verses and the title is different.

THE STAR
by Jane Taylor

Twinkle, twinkle, little star,
How I wonder what you are!
Up above the world so high,
Like a diamond in the sky!

When the blazing sun is gone,
When he nothing shines upon,
Then you show your little light,
Twinkle, twinkle, all the night.

Then the traveler in the dark,
Thanks you for your tiny spark,
He could not see which way to go,
If you did not twinkle so.

In the dark blue sky you keep,
And often through my curtains peep,
For you never shut your eye,
Till the sun is in the sky.

As your bright and tiny spark,
Lights the traveler in the dark,—
Though I know not what you are,
Twinkle, twinkle, little star.

Objects of my camerafection..

Poor Edric had a viral fever last week. The fever lasted for a couple of days and right after that, he started developing rashes all over his body. Apart from loss of appetite, the little guy was still upbeat and cheerful going about his business of exploring cum wrecking of the house.

Both of us are confined at home up till today. Mom in-law said that he shouldn't be exposed to wind. With the haywired weather we are suffering nowadays, I really don't mind staying home at all..kejap panas kejap ribut..Almost everyday, we get heavy doses of rains and strong winds in the late afternoon.

Edric's red dots are all gone since yesterday and he has gained his fondness for food. So I'm relieved. But both of us are still stuck at home coz our garden is still in repair. For the past couple of days, while the workers went out for lunch and Edric napping soundly in his cot, I went around the house having a little exploration of my own. Betul-betul keboringan sudah sia ni....kesian kan? LOL Never thought I was in such dire need to entertain myself.

But still, I'm delighted with what I found...


Found this little guy resting. Guess he's having a little afternoon nap too...

More of Objects of my camerafection.

Pokey needles...

I went for acupuncture for the first time of my life last Monday. Geezzz...got about 25 needles stuck on my right shoulder and back. It didn't hurt much. I actually enjoyed that session especially when heat was applied on my back and a mild electrical current was passed through the needles to relax my muscles. But the most excrutiating pain I felt was when the acupuncturist poke and twist a 21G needle ( equivalent of a toothprick) on 4 of my sore points, the neck, in between my vertebraes and my shoulder. 'Tiao Ching', that was what he told me and I can't find a word in English to explain it. My version of explanation - The needles was administered to sensitize my problematic nerves and ligaments so the pain can be alleviated once they are healed. Uhhhh...hope you can understand.
Almost couldn't turn my head to the right after the first session. Had a hard time for the first 2 days.

Second session on Thursday was just almost like the first. But this time I got more 'Tiao Ching' than I expected. Ended up having 6 plasters on my back. Sigh...Hope the pain is worth it.

Alden's Sports Day

Sunday, 1st of March, was Alden's first ever sports day. He's attending a chinese kindergarten, Tadika Chung Shan at Ipoh town area.

The whole family was there to see him in his group race. It was a fun day, albeit missing his father who was stuck in a wintery China for a week. Talking about temperature, it was a sunny sunny day, if you know what I mean. Orang pun boleh masak. Thank God Edric didn't throw any tantrum except giving lots of verbal complaints to his grandpapa, probably complaining about the weather.
Alden's group was leading in their race but at the final end, the other team manage to grab the lead. Thus, the kids have to settle for the silver cup. Each of them got one. By the way, the merry Alden got a gold cup instead. When we asked him how did he end up with it, he said he exchanged it with another kid.

Ehhh??? Like that oso can ah? Ya loh...teacher said the bag with the gold cup has my name on it. Sure or not? Really. You didn't force the other kid to hand over the gold cup to you. No no no...the bag has my name on it...really...'blink blink'...the eyes said I'm innocent...I'm innocent!!!

Both mom in-law and me just accepted his explanation, after we have questioned him for 2 days in a row. We were just worried that the other kid's parents will complain that the teacher gave the wrong cup to their kid. What do you know, we didn't get any complain up to this day so the cup stood in our showcase permanently. He,he....



Alden, sitting in his class row, watching performances and other races, while waiting for his turn.


The opening ceremony. Up went the balloons.....


Performances and races...


Now, who was that making faces...


We got loads of balloons to take home and Edric was as eager as a beaver to play.

Kerja kerja kerja...

Hubby left for China yesterday early morning. He's going to be there for the whole week.
It's more rush for me with the kids then.
I've started to go to the office every afternoon. Sigh...still lots for me to learn. Hubby's business is totally way off my brain frequency. It's a totally new world for me. Hope I can catch up quite good.
:) Cheerio...

Naughty Alden

3 days ago, Alden unintentionally drove the forklift and almost hit the side gate of the office.
Without his grandparents knowing, he took the key, turned on the ignition and shifted the gear and off he went.
It was a relief the gate isn't wrecked and he is not hurt. I guess the whole family knows the capacity of his mischievious streak and we were only slightly surprised. The incident actually became a marvel, partially a humor and a reminder for us to be more careful with him.
His dad could only grin when I told him. A 4 year old, shifting a gear! I really wonder how in the world did he step on the clutch to shift the gear. Sudahlah ketot. Sigh...

L is for the way you look at me.

How do I love thee? Let me count the ways.
I love thee to the depth and breadth and height
My soul can reach, when feeling out of sight
For the ends of being and ideal grace.
I love thee to the level of every day's
Most quiet need, by sun and candle-light.
I love thee freely, as men strive for right.
I love thee purely, as they turn from praise.
I love thee with the passion put to use
In my old griefs, and with my childhood's faith.
I love thee with a love I seemed to lose
With my lost saints. I love thee with the breath,
Smiles, tears, of all my life; and, if God choose,
I shall but love thee better after death.

by Elizabeth Barrett Browning.

This is the poem I gave my husband 8 years ago before we got separated for a while.
The next thing we know, the knot was tied and we've been married for 5 years now.
A lot of our journeys were rough and stormy but somehow we got through miraculously.
Since I didn't get anything for him this Valentine's day, think I'll just write this poem on a piece of paper and slip it in his wallet. A renewed pledge or just a quiet reminder, however it's perceived, I'm glad I got the chance to give it to him again.

Another day to the clinic

I've always been scared of Alden getting asthma attacks. That's one of the worst thing that can happen to a child. When he started coughing again 2 weeks before CNY, I had goosebums. Brought him to the clinic after his condition got worse. Had an X-ray done and it confirmed my fear that he got lung infection again.
After a course of antibiotics and bronchitis medication, his coughs settled just in time for CNY.
It was a relief and I got my fingers crossed that I won't be hearing any coughs anytime soon.

But 2 days ago the coughs started and it's off to the Dr again...sigh...poor baby...
Alden is already small in stature...his weight has not gone up for awhile now.. think the illness is getting to him in a way.
The Dr decided to put him on an inhaler for next 6 months since his airways are congested (and quite frequent at that). It's developing into a mild asthma. While his mother's heart just sank deeper, Alden was exceptionally happy that he got a new thinger-majigger to play with.

Hope this will work and he'll get better soon. That's all I ask for.
As an addition to my agony, Edric caught the flu. The little guy has trouble sleeping for 2 days now. I do pray I won't be hearing any coughs coming out from his mouth.

Another day for jalan-jalan

Hmm...3 Feb..
It was a holiday for Perak. We had dim sum breakfast as usual. AND as usual grandpa asked the little king where he wanted to go since we have some free time.

Alden : I want to go to the jungle YeYe.
Grandpa : OK
Alden : Where to? (Haiyah..you said jungle. Why did you ask YeYe again?)
Grandma : There's no jungle here. Don't go. My sandals are not suitable for long walks.
Alden : 'Mei kuan si lah' (Nevermindlah) (Ish..ni budak ni) . Let's go YeYe. (As insistent as he
could be.) YeYe, go jungle!! (Sigh..I was wondering where we are off to this time.)

We finally end up in Kek Lok Tong Temple in Gunung Rapat.
I haven't been there for ages. Have totally forgotten about this spot. It's actually a nice place for walks. The garden view is great.
Frankly, from the outside, it looked like most other cave temples. However, the best of it is that the cave actually opens up to a large garden at the back.

The entrance to the temple.

At the koi pond beside the cave entrance.

The 'secret' garden.

Edric with YeYe, looking down at the garden.

We can really sit there all day long amidst the

cooling breeze and beautiful view.

Alden found a girlfriend.....matching kan?

Playing in the garden.

Alden jadi patung singa...

Edric busy looking around.

Another thing that I loved about this place is the miniature figurines.
More pictures here.......

Kek Lok Tong visit

4 generations gathering....

It was the birthday celebration of hubby's grandmother. We'll celebrate it with her every year and this year was a special one for her coz she gets to spend it with two of her great-grandchildren.

Alden and Edric with grandmama and great-grandma, the star of the day.

A family picture....

Punyalah posing dia tu... with 2 of my cuz-in-law.

Alden refusing to look at the camera. Edric with grandpapa.

Alden refusing to sing Happy B'day song..

Thank God he didn't refused the food...

It was good to see you again...

I get to see my most beloved people in the world in the second weekend of New Year.

Me, hubby and the kids went to KL on Saturday late afternoon to meet up with Chris and her family. It was Melissa's family dinner before the day of her wedding reception. I sort of invited myself for the dinner coz I can't make it to her reception on Sunday. (Thick skin a bit when I called her mom to ask whether I can go for the family dinner instead.) Alden's school day starts on Monday and I don't want to rush back.

Chris and Evelyn were my housemates when we stayed in Michigan. Both of them are still residing in US. The get-together was fun. Wished we could chat the whole night through but I had to leave early coz it was way pass the kids bedtime. I wonder when will we be able to see each other again.


With Chris and Evelyn....little Edric joined in later...


Edric with Andy, Melissa's husband.




Alden taking the other kids hostage while Edric looks on.


The next day, we had lunch with my brother, foster brother and sister before traveling back to Ipoh. There is always not enough time when we want to be with the people we love eh. Sigh....

Hubby with Melvin (my Tai lou) and Joanne (my beloved 'Ah Sou'). Si Alden pula curi minum mommy punya iced mocha while mommy sibuk ambil gambar...