Oh Hot Water!

The contractor came as promised! Though Popo complained that the installation took over 2 hours and the workers kept walking in and out of the house to take cigar breaks and as a result dirtied the whole house. The installation cost $150.

I was actually very looking forward to having hot water after 3 days of cold showers. I suddenly am so grateful for the convenience of hot water at the flick of a switch!

When we were home, Popo said that the contractors told her that our heater spoilt bcos of the constant switching on and off. He said that the heater is made to last 10 years and should only switch on in the morning and off in the night. It doesn't consume much electricity, only what is required to power the switch.

Huh? What nonsense?!! If the switch is not meant to "inform" the water tank that we need hot water, therefore use electricity to heat and keep the hot water in the tank, then what is? I supposed there is some sort of thermostat and the water reboils if it falls below certain temperature. How could it not waste electricity if the switch is kept on the whole day?

I think we need to send those uncles for science classes. Ah... hot water.

Mummy Lim

Stupid Heater

On Wednesday night, I heard the kids screamed in the showers that the water was too cold. I lazily told them that the water would take some time to heat up while continued to scroll on my phone. Lol. Daddy Lim went into the showers next and he didn't complain. I assumed that all were good until I stepped into the showers myself. It was cooolllddddd! What happened to the heater?

The heater is spoilt, just when the weather is starting to turn cooler. Win already. I was hoping that it was merely throwing a small tantrum. Popo said that she tried to turn on and off the switch a few times yday but it didn't work. She even knocked on it a few times but it remained dead. So sad. 

It is indeed inconvenient without hot water. The adults can attempt to jump in and out of the showers but Popo had to boil hot water for the kids especially if the showers happened in the night. She demanded that the heater be replaced immediately.

Lil Isaac had phonics lesson at JE yday evening. I thought of buying a new heater from IMM but Daddy Lim thinks that it was too rush to get to IMM, buy the heater, settle dinner and be in time to pick Lil Isaac. It was then decided that he would send Lil Isaac to class while I go to JP and buy a heater from the C shop. Before I left the house, I checked online and was sure that the shop carries heater, both the instant and the central storage type.

At the shop, as I expected, they only carry the instant type. I considered switching to the instant type but freak out just thinking about the wiring and the installation. I asked if the shop could help me to order the storage type from the other stores, arranged for delivery and installation and I will pay on the spot. The promoter said that it was possible. I would think so too. Which sales person doesn't want sales? 

However, the promoter said that they had to check for availability via what seemed to be the one and only computer in the shop. The computer was used by an uncle to serve another customer. And so I waited…. for almost 30 mins. I was so happy when it was finally my turn. My heater!

The same uncle at the computer attended to my request. Upon hearing that I saw it online, he asked me to order it online instead and that I can save on the delivery fees. I don't want to save the delivery fees, I want to have confirmation of the heater and the installation and I want it NOW. He then checked the system and told me that all the 3 storage heaters that I saw online are out of stock at the store. What???!!!! He insisted that I should order online and told me to call the contractor myself for installation. He said that it is the standard practice even if I were to cash and carry one of the in-stock instant heaters from the shop. He gave me the contractor contact number and kind of chase me out of the shop. Did you see the smoke coming out from my ears? How come got business don't want to make?

I headed to the H shop in JP. They also only carry the instant heaters. I asked if it would make sense for me to replace my storage heater with new instant ones. The sales who doesn't look very expert told me that it would cost hundreds for installation cost. Forget it.

We went for Plan B – Daddy Lim drove to IMM to get a heater while I head to JE to pick up Lil Isaac. Daddy Lim called me and said that the shop carries the storage heater but we also have to call the contractor ourselves. Arrgghhhh.. I called the contractor contact given to me by the C shop (heng, I didn't throw the contact away in anger). The contractor was nice and agreed to the installation on Saturday evening! Daddy Lim also bought the storage heater on the spot.

Daddy Lim was in time to pick Lil Isaac and myself from JE. While in the car, he also complained about the lousy attitude from the sales person, as if we had to beg them to sell us the heater. What is wrong with the sales people? Don't want to earn $$ ah?

The only silver lining? Lil Isaac get to shower with hot water that Popo prepared. The hot water was stored in the bath tub that the kids use when they were toddlers. He totally enjoyed the experience.

Let’s hope that the contractor come on time on Saturday and ends our nightmare. 

Mummy Lim

PSLE Marking

We used to avoid traveling during the school holidays and had no qualms taking the kids out of school to do so. However, ever since Lil Shauna started primary school, we had to fight with the rest of the parents to travel during the school holidays. Chey.

It has recently come to my attention that there are 4 days of PSLE marking taking place in the 3rd week of October! Aiya. If I have known earlier. Unfortunately, the realisation has also jolted the travel bug. It is now awake, asking what's next after the Korea holiday in December. Hehehe. I want to go for a holiday lah.

Mummy Lim

Evergreen Lego

It was a nice morning and the kids were playing nicely by themselves. I tried to be as quiet and invisible for as long as I can, enjoying the little peace. Unfortunately, the peaceful moments didn't last long. The kids soon cannot agree on what to play and how to play it. Chey. I tried to be the peace maker and encourage them to play a bit more but not successful. Double chey. Lol.

So, we took out the evergreen Lego. We still have a box of the regular lego but both kids appeared to have upgraded to the mini ones. Over time, we have a big Ikea box of mini legos and quite a few instructions books. 

Lil Shauna built an imaginary pet house with a huge garden. The end product was surprising pretty. 

Lil Isaac decided to follow some instruction books to rebuild some boats and cars. He is now able to follow the instruction books and build the models without help. Building the models isn’t difficult; it is the looking for the specific mini pieces that is daunting. This is especially so if that piece is the ONLY piece among the thousands of other mini lego pieces. At times, I had to ask Lil Shauna to help. She has sharp eyes. Lil Isaac is best just waiting for the pieces to be found. He makes a mess, sweeping lego pieces from left to right and back in the pretext of trying to find. Lol.

This is his accomplishment.

I like playing with lego too. The kids were asking if they can buy new lego sets for children’s day. Huh? No need lah. We have so many pieces already.

Mummy Lim 

Next Grading Test

The next grading test is on 8 Nov. Lil Isaac is yellow tip now and would be promoted to yellow belt if he passed the grading test. He is learning the usually kicks now. Nothing too complicated. However, the boy is dead serious in all his classes. I would be glad if Lil Shauna has half of his concentration and efforts.

At the end of last week's class, he was super excited, running to me to tell me that he is ready for grading test! He has obtained a black tape. The masters gave out different tape during classes to motivate the kids as well as to track their progress. So black tape signifies readiness for grading test. Ahhhh....

Yday, while he was in class practicing the usual, I was peeping at the yellow belt kids practicing. In yellow belt, they started to learn some footwork. Accordingly to Daddy Lim, to pass the test, basically have to memorise the footwork. It was like seriously complicated. I dun see a pattern! I wonder how would Lil Isaac remembers. I told Daddy Lim that I would leave that to him. Oh, maybe I should look for my best friend YouTube too. Haha.

Mummy Lim

Ice Skating 25

Come to think of it, Lil Shauna had been learning ice skating for almost 1.5 yr. Other than the 4 core group lessons, she had 25 more private lessons. I cannot imagine the kind of money the one rink had earned from us and didn't dare to do the calculations too. I am just glad that she still has the interest and continues to learn new moves.

Yday's practice wasn't too bad. In fact, she always can do more with me than Teacher Raymond. Maybe I should sign up private lessons with Teacher Raymond and then I teach Lil Shauna in return. Haha. She did well with the ballet jump and is starting to manage the one-foot ballet pose. Surprisingly, her spiral also improved despite us not practicing that much. She is weak balancing on one foot but I supposed improves naturally as she continues to practice.

During class, I could see that she wasn't concentrating. Teacher Raymond is still faulting her for looking down but I think she did so much better as compared to weeks back. The lesson consisted mainly of practicing as well as some new footwork. She also learnt how to combine a waltz jump with a ballet jump. That looked quite nice. Hehe.

We have lessons for all weeks in October. I hope it will do her good.

Mummy Lim

Same, Same

Daddy Lim cuts his hair so very often. I don't think I have seen his hair longer than 5 cm. He said that it helps him to keep cool.

Lil Isaac caught Daddy Lim's fetish and loves to visit the hair dresser too. A week back, Daddy Lim brought him to one bcos his hair is too long. I wouldn't mind to grow his hair a little. This is afterall the only time that he can do so before he starts formal school. Maybe he would look like some Korean star with longer hair. Hehe. Too bad.

This is what happens next.

Errr... they went to the same hairdresser? HHow come they look the same? Haha.

Mummy Lim

Cat Museum

When I was planning the itinerary for the Korea trip, I was glad to know that there is a cat and a dog cafe in Myeongdong. That is where our hotel is located. It is basically a cafe that serves a drink at a flat rate and the cats/ dogs roam freely for the patrons to pat/ touch. As expected, the kids were thrilled.

I got to know that there is a similar concept in Singapore - the Cat Museum. So we brought the kids.  It is located somewhere near to the Mint Toy Museum that we visited some months back and has a similar concept of using a 4 floors shop house.

The museum is shoes free. We left our shoes in the locker provided and paid $9 per pax for entrance on the 2nd floor . Lil Isaac enters free (below 6 yo). On the 2nd floor, it house a cat family. The mama is on the extreme right with her 3 kids. The papa cat is unrelated but put together bcos he is also white. They are beautiful though not too friendly.  The white cats have one blue eye and one yellow eye. Interesting leh. 

The cats on the 3rd floor are for adoption. One part of the 3rd floor house the teenagess and adults stray. These are a little bit more friendly. Most of the cats were snoozing though. Not bad to be cat ya.

The other part of the 3rd floor housed many kittens. Yes, these kittens are for adoption too. The kittens were super action and we were so worried that Lil Isaac would accidentally step on one. The kids of course asked if they could adopt a kitty. Sorry lah, kids.

The top floor housed superstar cats. I don't know why they are so special. Probably they are not for adoption. Similarly, the cats weren't too friendly and most of them were sleeping when we visited.

We left after 1 over hour and the kids asked to come back again. The place is really nicely decorated. 

It is also well-manned by many volunteers. It is very clean in my opinion without much of a weird smell. I would consider this as a feat with so many visitors as well as cats. I heard teh volunteers saying that some visitors come abd spent hours with the cats! I think we would go back again. Thumbs up!

Mummy Lim

Ice Skating 24

We left the house later than usual and it was about 10.15am when we arrived at the ticketing counter to see a snaking q. As usual, the q moved so slowly. The rink has implemented online ticketing as well as self-ticketing machines at the entrance. I think most of the patrons are university students looking at using the free entry promo. I am not sure why the other people stayed in the q instead of opting for self service.

I got my ticket using the self ticketing machine but had to q to exchange for Lil Shauna's ticket using the student pass that I have bought earlier. The q barely moved. In the end, I cut q, telling the counter staff that Lil Shauna has private lessons taking place soon. The staff didn't check much and we entered the rink. Yeah!

We didn't have class last week bcos Lil Shauna wanted to attend her class mate's bday party. We couldn't find time to practice too and I thought that Lil Shauna would take a long time to warm up. She proved me so wrong.

She was in good form and took extra efforts to look up and hold her arms up. I was impressed. Towards the 2nd hour, she was tired and couldn't master the new hockey stop and some ballet pose that she learnt the last lesson. Interestingly, she perform better for her spin.

Maybe bcos she was too tired or anxious to perform during class. Her bad habits came back when Teacher Raymond Zzzzzz.

There are 5 Saturdays in October and I signed her up for classes every Saturday. Did you see the big hole in my pocket? I also reminded the princess about her expensive her hobby is and told her to work hard. Haha.

Mummy Lim

Old School

Lil Shauna received a party pack from her Chinese enrichment center bcos Children Day is drawing near. In the pack, I saw this.

How old school is that? It is a mini pack and the crackers are 2 big pieces instead.

I am feeling all nostalgic already and can't wait to sink my teeth, wondering if it still tastes the same.

Unfortunately, expectations aren't good.  The crackers have gone soft. I can't tell if they taste the same as before. Chey.

Mummy Lim